The Biden administration has made the decision to lift the ban on US sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, in a move that reverses a three-year-old policy aimed at pressuring the kingdom to wind down the Yemen war. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the administration briefed Congress on the decision, with sales potentially resuming as early as next week. The US government is already moving forward with notifications about a sale.
A senior Biden administration official stated, “The Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours, returning these cases regular order through appropriate congressional notification and consultation.”
Saudi-Houthi War
Following a UN-led truce between the Saudis and Houthis in March 2022, there have been no Saudi airstrikes in Yemen and cross-border fire has largely ceased. The decision to lift the ban comes after Biden’s tougher stance on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in 2021, citing civilian casualties in Yemen’s conflict, viewed as a proxy battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The ongoing war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and left 80% of Yemen’s population reliant on humanitarian aid.
[ad_2]
Source link
