The United States approved the sale of how many F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in September 2026?

Explanation: The US State Department approved the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, stating that the proposed sale would improve the Kingdom's capability to deter current and future threats. The approval marks a major shift in US arms transfer policy in the Gulf and has implications for Israel's qualitative military edge. CSS candidates should connect this to the Saudi-US nuclear deal of July 2026, the Makkah pact and the broader restructuring of Middle Eastern security architecture.