In a significant policy shift, the Biden administration has decided to lift the ban on the sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, according to the State Department. The three-year-old ban was initially imposed to pressure the kingdom to wind down its involvement in the Yemen war. The State Department confirmed that it is lifting the suspension on certain transfers of air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia, and future transfers will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in line with the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy.

This decision, which was first reported by Reuters, comes after the administration briefed Congress on its intent to lift the ban earlier this week. Sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia could resume as early as next week, as the U.S. government is proceeding with notifications about a potential sale.

A senior official from the Biden administration stated, "The Saudis have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours." The move comes as a response to the perceived positive steps taken by the Saudi Ministry of Defense over the past three years to improve civilian harm mitigation processes, partly due to the assistance provided by U.S. trainers and advisors.

The Yemen war, which has taken a devastating toll on civilians and led to a humanitarian crisis, is regarded as one of several proxy battles between regional powers Iran and Saudi Arabia. The conflict between the Saudi-led military alliance and the Houthis, who ousted a Saudi-backed government from Sanaa in 2014, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and left 80% of Yemen's population dependent on humanitarian aid.

Previously, lawmakers from both Democratic and Republican parties had expressed concerns over providing offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, citing human rights issues and the impact on civilian casualties in Yemen. However, the opposition has somewhat softened in light of recent events, including Hamas' attack on Israel and changes observed in the conduct of the campaign in Yemen.

Since the establishment of a U.N.-led truce between the Saudis and the Houthis in March 2022, there have been no Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, and cross-border fire from Yemen into the kingdom has significantly diminished, as confirmed by the administration official.

The decision to lift the ban on offensive weapon sales to Saudi Arabia comes in the midst of heightened tensions in the region, particularly following Iran and Hezbollah's vows to retaliate against Israel after the killing of Hamas' political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. The Houthi rebels have also shown support for Hamas in the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Additionally, the warming of ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia can be attributed to their collaborative efforts in post-war Gaza, as they work together to devise a plan for the region. The Biden administration has also been engaged in negotiations for a defense pact and civil nuclear cooperation with Riyadh, as part of a broader peace deal that aims to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

As major international weapons deals are required to undergo congressional review before finalization, it remains to be seen how lawmakers will respond to this policy shift in the coming weeks.