US Reverses Course: Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia No Longer Banned

According to SAEDNEWS, In a significant policy shift, the United States has announced the resumption of offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, marking the end of a suspension that was implemented at the beginning of President Joe Biden’s administration. This suspension stemmed from concerns over human rights violations amid the conflict in Yemen, as reported by the Middle East Monitor and the Wall Street Journal.

The U.S. State Department confirmed this decision, indicating that it comes in light of Saudi Arabia's adherence to certain conditions set by Washington, which include improvements in mitigating harm to civilians. The initial suspension was part of a broader effort to pressure the kingdom to reduce its military involvement in Yemen, where an estimated 377,000 people had lost their lives by the end of 2021.

While a UN-mediated truce in 2022 has largely curtailed large-scale hostilities, regional tensions have remained. According to a recent report from The Guardian, the dynamics have shifted, with the United States, Britain, and, more recently, Israel conducting strikes against Houthi (Yemeni) targets, while Saudi Arabia has largely taken a backseat in the ongoing conflict.

During a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasized that the freeze on certain classes of weapons was conditional and mainly based on Saudi efforts to improve civilian harm mitigation in Yemen. “Since that time, the Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours,” he stated. This means that the U.S. will now proceed with arms sales through the regular process, which includes appropriate congressional notification and consultation.

Patel also refuted any claims that the resumption of arms sales was directly linked to U.S. strategies for post-war Gaza or the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, while still recognizing the strategic importance of the U.S.-Saudi partnership.

The lifting of this ban, which includes the sale of specific air-to-ground munitions, aligns with the Biden administration's goal of balancing arms sales while ensuring Saudi Arabia has sufficient defensive capabilities amidst a complex security environment in the region.