The Biden administration has decided to lift a ban on U.S. sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, a policy reversal aimed at easing the kingdom’s involvement in the Yemen war, the State Department announced on Friday.
A senior State Department official confirmed that the suspension on certain air-to-ground munitions transfers to Saudi Arabia would be lifted, with future sales being considered on a “case-by-case basis” in accordance with the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy.
The decision, first reported by Reuters, follows a briefing to Congress earlier this week. According to one congressional aide, the resumption of sales could begin as soon as next week, with the U.S. government already moving forward with notifications about an impending sale.
A senior Biden administration official stated, “The Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours.”
Under U.S. law, major international arms deals must undergo congressional review before they can be finalized. In recent years, lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns about providing offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, citing civilian casualties in Yemen and human rights issues. However, opposition to such sales has lessened in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and changes in Saudi Arabia’s military conduct in Yemen.
Since March 2022, when Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels agreed to a U.N.-brokered truce, Saudi airstrikes in Yemen have ceased, and cross-border attacks into the kingdom have significantly decreased, according to administration officials. The State Department also noted that the Saudi Ministry of Defense has made “substantial improvements” in mitigating civilian harm, thanks in part to the efforts of U.S. trainers and advisors.
