The Biden administration has announced that it will lift the ban on U.S. sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, as confirmed by the State Department on Friday. This decision reverses a policy in place for the past three years, which aimed to pressure Saudi Arabia to end its involvement in the Yemen conflict.
The State Department will now permit the transfer of certain air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia, with each transfer evaluated on a case-by-case basis in line with the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy, according to a senior department official. Reuters first reported the development, citing multiple sources.
Congress was briefed on the decision this week, and sales could potentially resume as early as next week, a congressional aide mentioned. Notifications regarding the sale were underway as of Friday afternoon.
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 weapons deals require Congressional review before finalization. Concerns have been raised by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers about supplying offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, particularly regarding the humanitarian impact of its Yemen campaign and various human rights issues.
However, this opposition has waned due to recent regional turmoil following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, and changes in the conduct of the Yemen conflict. Since the March 2022 truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, Saudi airstrikes in Yemen have ceased, and cross-border attacks from Yemen into Saudi Arabia have largely stopped, according to the administration official.
The State Department noted the Saudi Ministry of Defense’s improvements in civilian harm mitigation, partially due to U.S. training and advisory support.
The Yemen conflict is viewed as a proxy battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, having ousted a Saudi-backed government in 2014, have been engaged in conflict with a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, leading to extensive casualties and widespread humanitarian need.
President Biden had imposed stricter controls on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in 2021 in response to the kingdom’s military actions against the Iran-aligned Houthis, which had caused significant civilian harm.
Relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have since warmed, with collaborative efforts increasing following Hamas’ attack and ongoing negotiations for a defense pact and a civil nuclear cooperation agreement. These discussions are part of a broader initiative involving potential normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations, although this goal remains challenging.
The decision to lift the ban also comes amidst heightened regional tensions, with Iran and Hezbollah threatening retaliation against Israel following the killing of Hamas’ political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. The Houthis have also demonstrated support for Hamas and have targeted commercial vessels they claim are linked to Israel.