US to lift ban on offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia
The Biden administration has decided to lift a ban on US sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, reversing a three-year-old policy.
MEHR: The Biden administration has decided to lift a ban on US sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, reversing a three-year-old policy.
Biden had ordered the pause on the sale of precision-guided munitions and other weapons to pressure Riyadh to end what is called the war in Yemen.
The State Department was lifting its suspension on certain transfers of air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia, a senior department official confirmed. "We will consider new transfers on a typical case-by-case basis consistent with the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy," the official said, according to Reuters.
The administration briefed Congress this week on its decision to lift the ban, a congressional aide said. One source said sales could resume as early as next week. The US government was moving ahead on Friday afternoon with notifications about a sale, a person briefed on the matter said.
"The Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours," a senior Biden administration official said.
Under US law, major international weapons deals must be reviewed by members of Congress before they are made final.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have questioned the provision of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia in recent years, claiming issues including the toll on civilians of its campaign in Yemen and a range of human rights concerns.
Since March 2022 - when Saudi Arabia and Yemen entered into a UN-led truce - there have not been any Saudi airstrikes in Yemen and cross-border fire from Yemen into the kingdom has largely stopped, the administration official said.
