US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a UN Security Council Session on Artificial Intelligence at the UN headquarters in New York on December 19, 2024. AFP
The State Department informed Congress it had approved the sale of $4.69 billion in equipment for 555 US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks operated by Egypt, $630 million in 2,183 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and $30 million in precision-guided munitions.
The sale "will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally country that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East," according to a statement.
Cairo is one of the largest recipients of US security aid since its peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
Egypt and the United States have worked increasingly closely since the outbreak of the Israeli war in Gaza in 2023, with Cairo playing a mediating role.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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