The United States is anticipated to lift its prohibition on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia in the imminent weeks, according to American officials, signaling a potential recalibration of the Biden administration's posture toward the kingdom, the Financial Times reported.
The move would represent a reversal of President Joe Biden's decision shortly after taking office to suspend such arms sales, which he made in criticism of Saudi Arabia's military involvement in Yemen's civil war and concerns regarding American-made munitions being utilized in airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties.
However, the decision has undergone review following the United Nations' brokering of a truce in Yemen in 2022, which has largely held as Riyadh has sought to extricate itself from the conflict it entered nine years ago. "Lifting the ban would be an important step in continuing to rebuild the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia," Ali Shihabi, a Saudi commentator with close ties to the royal court, told the FT. "And lifting the ban has become more important given the way the Houthis have behaved since October 7," he added, referring to the terrorist group's attacks since the hostilities of October 7 began.
A shift in tone toward a key partner
The anticipated move represents the latest indication of improving relations between Washington and Riyadh, the Financial Times reported. Senior US officials this week stated that the two nations are nearing the finalization of a series of bilateral agreements, including a defense pact and cooperation on Saudi Arabia's fledgling civilian nuclear program.
These accords would be part of a broader US-brokered compact that could lead to Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel, contingent upon the Jewish state agreeing to take steps toward establishing a Palestinian state. The White House declined to comment on the potential lifting of the offensive weapons ban.
President Biden had vowed to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" due to human rights concerns, notably following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul. "On the campaign trail in 2019, Biden also accused the Saudis of 'murdering children' in an apparent reference to the war in Yemen, in which thousands were killed," the Financial Times article notes.
However, relations have significantly improved since then, partly due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine reinforcing the belief in Washington that it needs Saudi cooperation on critical issues like energy and support for US Middle East policies, according to the Financial Times.
