US congresswoman calls for blocking Saudi arms deal

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (YPA) – U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib called on the Senate to block a potential $5 billion U.S. arms deal with Saudi Arabia, criticizing U.S. support for Saudi military operations in Yemen.

In a post on X, Tlaib said Saudi Arabia had, with U.S. support, bombed the Yemeni people, imposed a blockade on them and starved them for more than a decade, arguing that providing Riyadh with new weapons represents a continuation of this course.

She added that President Donald Trump’s administration is moving ahead with providing the kingdom with $5 billion worth of weapons, including 2,000-pound bombs, and called on the Senate to intervene to block the deal. She concluded her message with the words: Let Yemen live.

Tlaib’s remarks came after the U.S. State Department notified Congress on September 4 of its approval of a potential $5 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The deal includes more than 10,000 bomb guidance kits and munitions, including 5,000 2,000-pound bombs, as well as equipment and logistical support.

According to the U.S. justification, the deal is intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air-defense capabilities, counter current and future regional threats, and enhance interoperability with U.S. forces and other partners in the Gulf.

In a separate development, the U.S. State Department approved another potential $24.3 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia on September 17, including 48 F-35 fighter jets and 49 engines, in addition to communications equipment, support, spare parts and training.

Washington said the deal supports U.S. foreign-policy and national-security objectives and strengthens the defense capabilities of a major non-NATO ally.

The U.S. moves come amid simultaneous military escalation in the region, while Washington’s expansion of arms deals with Riyadh is fueling debate in Congress over the potential use of the weapons and their implications for the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

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