Washington DC - The US confirmed Monday it would resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, as the Joe Biden's administration parks its concerns over human rights abuses in the kingdom's war on Yemen.

More than three years after imposing limits on human rights grounds over Saudi strikes in Yemen, the State Department said it would return to weapons sales "in regular order, with appropriate congressional notification and consultation."

"Saudi Arabia has remained a close strategic partner of the United States, and we look forward to enhancing that partnership," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

US President Joe Biden took office in 2021 pledging a new approach to Saudi Arabia that emphasized human rights, and immediately announced that the administration would only send "defensive" weaponry to the longtime US arms customer.

Donald Trump Trump threatens Republican congressman with a primary challenge for refusing to raise debt ceiling

The step came after thousands of civilians – including children – were killed in Saudi-led airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have taken over much of Yemen.

Since then, the UN has brokered a truce in Yemen that has largely held since 2022, while Biden has softened his stance on Saudi Prime Minister and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, who infamously ordered the murder and dismemberment of Washington Post correspondent Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey in 2018.

Patel insisted that "there has not been a single Saudi airstrike into Yemen and cross-border fire from Yemen into Saudi Arabia has largely stopped."

"The Saudis since that time have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours," Patel said.

It is now the US, Britain, and recently Israel that have been bombing Yemen, with Saudi Arabia content to watch from the sidelines.

The Houthis have been firing missiles at commercial ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians being killed en masse by US-backed Israel since October 7.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has repeatedly traveled to Saudi Arabia to discuss a package of US incentives if the kingdom recognizes Israel.

Donald Trump Trump tries to bully Europeans into buying more fossil fuels by making latest tariff war threat

Saudi Arabia has sought US security guarantees, a continued flow of weapons, and potentially a civilian nuclear deal if it normalizes with Israel, but says it cannot act without progress on a Palestinian state.

Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas said that Saudi Arabia still had a "troubling track record" on human rights.

"I supported the Biden administration's initial decision to pause offensive arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and I hope to see compelling evidence that Saudi Arabia has changed its conduct," he said.

Notoriously, agents most likely acting on the orders of Saudi Prime Minister and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman murdered and dismembered Washington Post correspondent Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey in 2018.