The U.S. Announces Resumption of Offensive Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia

On Monday, the United States announced that it would resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, ending a multi-year suspension of these sales that was imposed due to Riyadh's bloody military operations in Yemen. According to Agence France-Presse, the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying that "sales of such weapons will resume in the usual manner with appropriate notification and consultation with Congress." During the war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, the U.S. views Saudi Arabia once again as a key player in the region. U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters, "Saudi Arabia remains a close strategic partner of the United States, and we look forward to strengthening this partnership." When Joe Biden began his presidency, he committed to adopting a new approach towards Saudi Arabia that emphasizes human rights, stating that Washington would only send "defensive" weapons to this long-time partner. This action follows estimates that thousands of civilians, including children, have been killed in airstrikes led by Riyadh in Yemen. Saudi Arabia had launched a large-scale military campaign against Houthi rebels supported by the Islamic Republic. However, since then, geopolitical considerations have significantly changed. The United Nations, with U.S. support, signed a ceasefire early in 2022 that has largely held. According to Vedant Patel, since the ceasefire, "there have been no airstrikes by Saudi Arabia on Yemen, and cross-border fire from Yemen into Saudi Arabia has also largely stopped." The U.S. State Department spokesperson added that the Saudis have adhered to their commitments under the agreement, and the United States is ready to fulfill its commitments. While the U.S. made significant efforts to establish a ceasefire between the Houthis and the Saudis, following the Gaza war, the Houthis began attacking commercial and military ships in the Red Sea with missiles; this prompted the U.S. to respond militarily to the Iran-backed Houthis. The Houthis of Yemen claim to have once again fired ballistic missiles at Israel. A UAE delegation visited the Israeli parliament; Rashid Al-Nuaimi stated that our relations are "a factor for change in the entire region." Biden, in response to the Houthi missile attacks, stated that we are in contact with the UAE daily to address these threats. King Abdullah II considered Iran a threat to Jordan and the region.