US to resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia

Geopolitical considerations have, however, changed markedly since then. The United Nations, with US support, brokered a truce in Yemen in early 2022 that has largely held.

It is now the United States, Britain and recently Israel that have been striking Houthi targets in Yemen, with Saudi Arabia content to watch from the sidelines.

The Houthis have been firing missiles at commercial ships in the vital Red Sea in professed solidarity with Palestinians, who have been in the crosshairs of Israel since the 7 October attack by Hamas.

In an attempt to find a long-term solution, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has repeatedly traveled to Saudi Arabia to discuss a package of US incentives if the kingdom recognizes Israel.

Saudi Arabia has sought US security guarantees, a continued flow of weapons and potentially a civilian nuclear deal if it normalizes with Israel.

But Saudi Arabia says it cannot act without progress on a Palestinian state, an idea pushed by the Biden administration as it seeks a diplomatic way out of the Gaza conflict, but bitterly opposed by Netanyahu and his far-right allies.

Before 7 October, Gulf Arab states had been moving closer to Israel, in large part out of shared hostility to Iran.

Saudi Arabia cooperated with the United States, along with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, in repelling an Iranian missile and drone barrage against Israel in April in response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Syria.