The United Arab Emirates signed an agreement with the US to purchase 50 F-35 stealth fighter jets and up to 18 armed Reaper drones about an hour before Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Biden administration officials said they plan on reviewing the $23 billion arms deal the Trump administration reached with the UAE as a sideline to the Abraham Accords.

After the White House informed Congress in October of its intention to sell the F-35 jets to the UAE, Democrats in Congress tried to thwart the deal but failed to gain enough support. Democrats said they are concerned after maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region, which is legally mandated in  US law.

Democrats are also concerned about the UAE’s role in Saudi Arabia’s battle against the  Houthis in Yemen, which has led to a humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country. Incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Biden administration will be reviewing Trump’s decision to designate the Iranian-backed Houthis as a terrorist group.

The final delivery date for the F-35 jets hasn’t been confirmed but the preliminary proposal said 2027.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)