The United States agreed on Tuesday to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, according to a White House fact sheet that called it "the largest defense cooperation agreement" Washington has ever done.

The United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are strengthening their strategic ties by formalising two major agreements

The partnership was announced as part of a White House tour to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have discussed Riyadh's potential purchase of Lockheed's F-35 jets, two sources briefed on discussions told Reuters, referring to a military aircraft that the kingdom has reportedly been interested in for years.