Three members of the US Senate announced, Thursday, that a group of members of the Senate opposes the first major arms deal to Saudi Arabia during the administration of President Joe Biden, due to the Kingdom's participation in the Yemen war.
Republican members of the House of Representatives Rand Paul and Mike Lee, as well as Bernie Sanders, who is close to Democrats, introduced a bill to block a proposed $650 million arms deal to Saudi Arabia.
While many US lawmakers regard Saudi Arabia as an important partner in the Middle East, they criticize the kingdom for its participation in the war in Yemen, which the United Nations says has caused one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.
In early November, the US State Department agreed to sell Saudi Arabia air-to-air missiles and related equipment in a $650 million deal.
The State Department statement said the potential deal would support US foreign policy and US national security by helping "strengthen the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political and economic progress in the Middle East."
The statement indicated that the deal will improve Saudi Arabia's ability to confront current and future threats by increasing its stockpile of medium-range missiles for its combat aircraft fleet.
Lawmakers refuse to approve several arms deals to the kingdom, without assurances that US equipment will not be used to kill civilians.
Activists say that Saudi Arabia has lobbied hard not to extend the mandate of the United Nations investigators, who have documented the commission of possible war crimes by the Riyadh-led military coalition and the Houthis, according to Reuters.
The deal approved by the US State Department includes 280 AIM-120C-7/C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air (AMRAAM) missiles, 596 LAU-128 missile launchers, as well as containers and support equipment, and spare parts. Spare parts, engineering and technical support, provided by the US government and contractors.
"This deal could accelerate an arms race in the Middle East, and jeopardize the security of our military technology," Paul said in a statement.
"As the Saudi government continues to wage its devastating war in Yemen and oppress its people, we should not reward it with more arms sales," Sanders added in the joint statement.
When the State Department approved the deal, a spokesperson said it was "fully in line with the administration's pledge to pursue diplomatic endeavors to end the conflict in Yemen."
He added that the air-to-air missiles ensured that "Saudi Arabia has the means to defend itself against air attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis."
And last September, Washington agreed to a contract to maintain the Saudi fleet of helicopters, in the first decade since the arrival of US President Joe Biden to the White House.
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