Qatar Signs $12 Billion Deal With US For F-15 Jets Days After Trump Accused It Of Funding Terror

As Qatar faces regional isolation due to the ongoing diplomatic rift with its Middle-Eastern neighbours, the United States confirmed the sale of F-15 fighters worth $12 billion to Qatar, according to CNN.

The announcement follows a string of messages that were sent out from the Trump administration regarding the dispute between Doha and the other Arab nations. However, the deal being facilitated at the time of crisis is being perceived as a symbol of support from the US.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Maldives and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terror outfits and destabilising the region. Supporting the move, US President Donald Trump had said that Qatar was 'sponsoring terrorism at a very high level'.

"I decided, along with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, our great generals and military people, the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding, they have to end that funding and its extremist ideology," CNN had quoted Trump as saying.

Meanwhile, it appears that Trump and Tillerson are not on the same page as the latter has said that the Gulf countries' land and air blockade of Doha is hurting the campaign against the Islamic State (IS). This assessment has been only partially corroborated by the Pentagon with officials saying that there has been no immediate disruption.

Qatar is home to 11,000 US troops and the Al Udeid Air Base, the main regional centre for air operations against the IS in the region.