The Trump administration has fast-tracked billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel, Qatar<u>, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, CNN reports, citing statements released by the US State Department.

Cumulatively, the weapons are valued at more than $8 billion and include air defence systems for Kuwait and Qatar, and laser-guided rockets for Qatar, the UAE and Israel.

Included in the sales to Qatar are Patriot missiles.

In justifying the State Department’s bypassing of Congress to approve the weapons sales, each statement says that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of the arms to the countries.