President Joe Biden agreed to lift limits on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, reversing a policy imposed early in his term as he looks to boost ties with a key partner and counter Iran, Report informs referring to Bloomberg.
Biden had ordered the pause on the sale of precision-guided munitions and other weapons to pressure Riyadh to wind down its war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudis met their end of the bargain, according to a senior US official who asked not to be identified discussing a decision that hasn’t been publicly announced.
US priorities in the region have also been upended since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7 and the Iran-backed Houthis roiled the shipping world with attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Tensions spiked even more after the recent assassination of a top Hamas leader in Tehran, and officials say Iran may strike Israel at any time.
