US to lift suspension on certain weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia

Major deals must be reviewed by members of Congress under American law

US and Saudi tanks take part in a military exercise near Amman in 2022. AFP

US President Joe Biden's administration has decided to lift the suspension of certain weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia, the State Department confirmed on Friday, reversing a three-year-old policy.

“The department is lifting its suspension on certain transfers of air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia,” a State Department representative told The National, adding that new transfers would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“This suspension was imposed in early 2021 following the administration’s announcement that it was ending support for offensive operations in the conflict in Yemen, including relevant US arms transfers.”

The Biden administration briefed Congress this week on its decision to lift the ban, a congressional aide told Reuters, which first reported the news.

“We take this action on the basis of continued Saudi adherence to the conditions of the April 2022 truce in Yemen, despite its formal expiration after six months,” the State Department representative said.

“Saudi Arabia has also been a key partner in seeking a durable resolution to the conflict in Yemen.”

Reuters cited a senior Biden administration official as saying that “the Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours, returning these cases to regular order through appropriate congressional notification and consultation”.

Under US law, major international weapons deals must be reviewed by Congress before they are made final.

The decision comes amid heightened tension in the Middle East amid the war in Gaza. The threat level in the region has been rising since late last month, with Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah vowing to retaliate against Israel after Hamas's political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran.

The Biden administration also has been negotiating a defence pact and an agreement for civil nuclear co-operation with Riyadh as part of a broad deal that envisions Saudi Arabia normalising ties with Israel – although that remains an elusive goal.

"Saudi Arabia remains a critical security partner for the United States, particularly at a time of high regional instability," the State Department representative said.

Yemen was plunged into civil war in late 2014, with the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seizing the capital Sanaa and ousting its internationally recognised government, which a Saudi-led military alliance moved to defend.

A UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022 has officially expired but the fighting has remained minimal amid ongoing negotiations. But since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war, the Houthis have targeted international shipping lanes, attacking or capturing a number of vessels.

“We are regularly conducting air strikes to degrade Houthi capabilities, an effort that is continuing and will continue together with a coalition of partners,” the senior US administration official said.

“We have designated the Houthis as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, and we will have imposed sanctions and additional costs on the Houthi smuggling networks and military apparatus. This pressure will continue to build over the coming weeks.”