The US approved the sale of battle tanks to Bahrain for $2.2 billion

The United States has approved a $2.2 billion sale of advanced battle tanks to Bahrain, a Gulf ally once under an arms embargo over its crackdown on Shiite dissidents.
The State Department said it has notified Congress that it is willing to sell 50 M1A2 Abrams tanks, which are normally used for ground combat, to the small island nation, which has tense relations with nearby Iran.
"The proposed sale will enhance Bahrain's ability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that can deter adversaries and enable participation in regional operations with the US and other partner nations," the State Department said in a statement.
Congress can still block the sale, although most military deals are approved.
Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and is classified as a major non-NATO ally, giving it privileged defense cooperation with the US.
Bahrain is the only Arab country to join the US-UK-led coalition that has struck Yemen's Houthi rebels, allies of Iran, over attacks on ships carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Abrams tanks, one of the heaviest in the world, are a mainstay of the US military.
Last year, President Joe Biden approved the provision of Abrams tanks to Ukraine to repel Russian invaders, after initial concerns about the time it would take to produce and train Ukrainian forces to operate the machines.
The State Department said about 30 US contractors and one government official would be sent to Bahrain for up to five years to conduct the training.
Bahrain came under fire in 2011 when, backed by fellow Sunni state Saudi Arabia, it put down an uprising led by the Shia community that demanded a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.
Then President Barack Obama imposed an arms embargo for a period of four years. Bahrain has returned to US favor under former President Donald Trump, who welcomed Bahrain's recognition of Israel.
Last year, the Biden administration signed a new agreement with Bahrain to strengthen defense and economic ties, including through greater intelligence sharing./BGNES