US Approves $1.3 Billion 'Smart' Bombs Sale To Saudi Arabia

The US State Department has approved $1.29 billion worth sale of 22,000 smart and general purpose bombs to Saudi Arabia.

The sale of smart and general purpose bombs include 1,000 GBU-10 Paveway II Laser Guided Bombs, and more than 5,000 Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits to turn older bombs into precision-guided weapons using GPS signals.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified lawmakers on Friday that the sale had been approved.

The bombs are in part aimed to replenish Saudi inventories that have been depleted by its air operations against IS militants in Syria and rebels in Yemen. Since March, the Saudis have led a bombing campaign in Yemen targeting Houthi rebels who ousted the government.

The US has considered the sale despite allegations that the kingdom has killed and injured civilians in airstrikes against rebels in Yemen.

The deal reflects Obama's pledge to bolster US military support for Saudi Arabia and other allies in the Gulf after Washington signed a landmark deal with their Shiite rival Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for easing economic sanctions.