US Set to Lift Ban on Offensive Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia

According to SAEDNEWS, President Biden has lifted the pause on the sale of precision-guided munitions and other weaponry to Saudi Arabia, a measure initially implemented to encourage an end to the ongoing conflict in Yemen.

According to a senior official at the State Department, the suspension on certain transfers of air-to-ground munitions has been revoked. The official noted, "We will consider new transfers on a typical case-by-case basis consistent with the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy," as reported by Reuters.

This week, the administration briefed Congress on the decision to reinstate these arms sales, with a congressional aide suggesting that deliveries could resume as soon as next week. Notifications regarding the upcoming sales were being prepared on Friday afternoon, according to sources familiar with the situation.

A senior Biden administration official stated, "The Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours," signaling a commitment to follow through with the arms sales.

Under U.S. law, any major international weapons transactions require review by Congress prior to finalization. In recent years, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have raised concerns about supplying offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, citing the humanitarian impact of military actions in Yemen and various human rights issues.

However, since March 2022, when Saudi Arabia and Yemen entered into a United Nations-led truce, there have been no reported Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, and cross-border fire from Yemen into Saudi territory has mostly ceased, according to the same administration official.