The United States has stepped up military support for Saudi Arabia over the past few months following Houthi missile attacks on the kingdom, suggesting Washington is trying to mend its strained relationship with traditional allies in the Persian Gulf, Reuters reported.
Riyadh receives US military aid as Washington tries to make contact
Prior to this, their traditionally strong alliance had fallen on hard times, in part due to the role of Saudi Arabia in the war in Yemen and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul by Saudi agents in 2018.
Shortly after taking office in 2020, Biden withdrew support for the coalition's offensive operations in Yemen, initiated a review of Saudi arms sales, and directed a special envoy to pressure Riyadh to lift its blockade of Houthi-held territories and broker a truce with the movement. Biden also refused to deal directly with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Since then, the Gulf state has hosted a series of difficult meetings between the US and Saudi Arabia, including between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Prince Mohammed last September. Another senior US adviser, Brett McGurk, was in Riyadh last week to discuss oil supplies and Yemen.
But faced with new geopolitical realities, Washington approved the sale of missiles and missile defense systems, including 280 air-to-air missiles, worth up to $650 million to Saudi Arabia.
Two people familiar with the matter said Washington has sent Patriot missiles and other equipment to the kingdom over the past three months.
A US State Department spokesman said the United States has been working with Saudi Arabia and its neighbors in recent months to help them bolster their defenses through overseas military and direct commercial sales.
With US support, Saudi Arabia is currently intercepting roughly 90% of these [Houthi] air attacks, but we need to aim for 100%, the spokesman said.
Unconfirmed footage posted on social media by pro-government Saudi commentators shows Patriot missile batteries intercepting missiles aimed at the Red Sea city of Jeddah on Sunday as the Houthis launched a flurry of strikes on energy facilities, part of a wide-ranging attack on Saudi infrastructure.
