US F-15 fighter jet in hangar
© Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
Qatar will sign a deal to buy up to 36 F-15 jets from the U.S. even as a political crisis in the Gulf leaves the Middle East nation isolated by its neighbors and criticized by President Donald Trump for supporting terrorism, according to three people with knowledge of the accord.

Qatar's defense minister will meet with Pentagon chief Jim Mattis on Wednesday to seal the agreement, according to the people who spoke on condition of anonymity because the sale hasn't been announced.

Congress last year approved a sale of up to 72 F-15s in an agreement valued at as much as $21 billion. But that was before the latest political crisis in the region, which has led Qatari neighbors including Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates to isolate the country for its support of terror groups and Iran.

Trump has signaled his support for the move by Saudi Arabia and its allies, praising it as a needed effort to choke off financing for terrorism. At the same time, however, Qatar hosts a critical U.S. military air base with about 11,000 personnel that is used to target Islamic State.

"During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology," Trump said on Twitter June 6, adding "Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!"