Qatar Reportedly Requested F-35 Jets

Moments ago, Reuters quoted sources saying that Qatar has submitted a formal request to the United States to buy stealthy F-35 fighter jets.

Three people familiar with the deal said the request for the Lockheed Martin Co jets was submitted by the Persian Gulf state in recent weeks, a move, if pursued, could strain U.S. ties with Saudi Arabia and Israel.

The US is keen to counter Iran in the region, therefore, helps to arm allies including Qatar which hosts the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, including to 8,000 U.S. service members and Department of Defense civilian employees.

The request follows an August deal between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates in which Washington agreed to consider giving the Gulf state approval to buy F-35s in a side deal to a U.S.-brokered agreement called the Abraham Accord to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel.

Despite being U.S. allies, both the potential Qatari and UAE F-35 deals must satisfy a decades-old agreement with Israel that states any U.S. weapons sold to the region must not impair Israel's "qualitative military edge," guaranteeing U.S. weapons furnished to Israel are "superior in capability" to those sold to its neighbors.