DOMINANT ANGLE
Islamabad gauges the sale of F-35s in light of the war Riyadh is waging against the Houthis in Yemen, where the Saudi call for direct military aid from Washington carries as much weight as the arms contract itself.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
The State Department approved on Thursday, September 17, the potential sale of 48 F-35A aircraft and 49 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines to Saudi Arabia, for $24.3 billion, subject to a 30-day review by Congress.
- 02
Mohammed bin Salman requested military aid from Donald Trump last week against the Houthis, who threaten the Red Sea; Trump proposed an intelligence sharing arrangement without agreeing to direct strikes, according to The Express Tribune.
- 03
The State Department claims the sale will "not alter the military balance in the region", while Israel remains the only country in the Middle East to have operated the F-35 for over a decade.
ANALYSIS
Islamabad, September 18, 2026. The Pakistani press is reporting without hesitation the announcement from Washington: on Thursday, September 17, the US Department of State gave the green light to the potential sale of 48 stealth F-35A Lightning II aircraft from Lockheed Martin to Saudi Arabia, for an estimated amount of $24.3 billion. The package includes 49 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines, communication equipment, spare parts, and logistical support, according to the notification sent to Congress. According to The Express Tribune, lawmakers have 30 calendar days to review or oppose the transaction before its finalization.
For Islamabad, the sale is part of the immediate context of the war being waged by Riyadh against the Houthis in Yemen. The Express Tribune recalls that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested military aid from President Donald Trump last week to combat the Iran-aligned rebels, as they intensify their threats against the Red Sea. Trump has had at least two phone exchanges with the Saudi leader without agreeing to direct US strikes against the Houthis, but promising intelligence sharing and targeting assistance. Business Recorder notes, in the same context, that the Houthis claim to have shot down a Saudi fighter jet.
The Department of State justifies the sale by citing the strengthening of "the security of a major non-NATO ally, a factor of political stability and economic progress in the Gulf," and assures that it "will not alter the military balance in the region." The Saudi embassy in Washington welcomed the proposal on X, describing it as a new stage in defense cooperation between the two countries, reflecting "the strength and durability of the Saudi-American strategic partnership."
Pakistani articles also highlight the symbolic significance of the issue: Israel remains the only country in the Middle East to have operated the F-35 for over a decade, built on an American doctrine guaranteeing Tel Aviv a "qualitative military edge" over neighboring Arab states. A sale to Riyadh would therefore test this doctrine, while Saudi Arabia, the world's largest customer for American arms, has been demanding the aircraft for years to modernize its air force.
