(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday his administration's intent to authorize the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, timing the declaration just one day before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's scheduled White House arrival.

Speaking to journalists from the Oval Office, Trump confirmed the transaction's certainty. "We will be doing that," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "We will be selling F-35s."

The president defended the deal by praising the kingdom's bilateral relationship with Washington. "They have been a great ally," Trump said of the Saudis.

The prospective sale would break Israel's regional monopoly on the cutting-edge aircraft. Israel currently remains the sole Middle Eastern nation operating F-35 jets, with individual units carrying an estimated price tag of $100 million—positioning them among the planet's most sophisticated warplanes.

Media reported that the U.S. Congress could block export licenses for the F-35s to Saudi Arabia, though it is unusual.

Congressional oversight mechanisms could potentially derail the arms deal, according to media, which noted that lawmakers retain authority to obstruct export licensing for the Saudi F-35 purchase, though such interventions rarely occur.

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