US to resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia

The US government will lift its ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported Friday, reversing a three-year-old policy.

The Biden administration imposed the ban in 2021 in a bid to persuade the kingdom to end its campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Both parties in Congress had expressed concerns over the high civilian toll in Yemen as well as over Riyadh’s human rights abuses more broadly.

However, opposition to sales of the weapons appears to have softened as turmoil roils the Middle East following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Sales of air-to-ground munitions could resume as early as next week, Reuters reported.