The German government has approved arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia for the first time in years. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit today confirmed a report in “Spiegel” in Berlin, according to which 150 air-to-air guided missiles of the IRIS-T type are being exported.
In November 2018, the grand coalition then in power imposed an export ban. The reason for this was Saudi Arabia's involvement in the war in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (Jamal Khashoggi).
According to “Spiegel”, weapons components were excluded from joint projects with alliance partners, including the Eurofighter fighter jet exported to Saudi Arabia by the British company BAE Systems. Saudi Arabia operates 72 of them, which are armed with the now-approved IRIS-T missiles.
Green light also for the export of submarines to Israel
Britain also plans to deliver more Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia – the German government no longer wants to oppose this either. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced this recently.
At its most recent meeting, the responsible German Federal Security Council recently approved more than just missiles for Riyadh. According to “Spiegel”, he also gave the green light to a submarine that Israel had ordered. In addition, Pakistan will receive three Bundeswehr minehunting boats and Georgia will receive 300 shoulder-mounted anti-tank weapons.