Biden Admin. Sends Patriot Missiles to Saudis Per Urgent Request Despite Apparent Tensions - Report

© Tech. Sgt. Michelle LarcheArmy Spc. Timothy Jones operates a Patriot missile battery in Southwest Asia, Feb. 8, 2010. The Defense Department announced Oct. 11, 2019, that it will deploy two Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia.
Army Spc. Timothy Jones operates a Patriot missile battery in Southwest Asia, Feb. 8, 2010. The Defense Department announced Oct. 11, 2019, that it will deploy two Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia. - Sputnik International, 1920, 21.03.2022
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The defensive munitions are reportedly needed to fight off drone and missile attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, with the latest attack taking place on Sunday and targeting critical energy facilities.
Washington has sent a whole barrage of Patriot air defense missile systems to Saudi Arabia in the past month, just as many fear that the allies have been drifting apart, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed senior US officials.
According to the newspaper, the Kingdom has been asking for more Patriot interceptors since last year, pointing to a shortage of missiles. The source shared that that the decision took several months due to the high demand for this type of interceptor from other US allies. The systems and other military equipment were transferred to Saudi Arabia from other countries in the Middle East, the source added.
Until now, the Biden administration has not showed explicit support for its ally's offensive in Yemen. After Biden moved into the White House, the POTUS declared his intention to remove the Houthis from the US terrorist organizations list, where Trump had put them "as a gesture of goodwill."
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Oil Production Spat

Riyadh's refusal to boost oil production came as an unpleasant surprise for Biden, as American consumers are struggling with soaring gas prices, which Biden claims is solely "Putin's fault." Eagerly seeking to "punish" Russia over Ukraine, Washington banned oil and gas imports from the country, apparently counting on alternative energy sources.

To that end, the Biden administration tried to reach out to the Saudis and Emiratis in order to compel them to ramp up crude production, but the attempt did not succeed, according to media reports. The Saudi Crown Prince reiterated his country's "willingness to uphold balance and stability in the oil market," which means he is determined to stick to the OPEC+ agreement, at least for now.

And in yet another slap in the face, the Saudi Aramco oil giant announced it would build a massive oil refinery in partnership with China, as it again seeks to profit from rocketing crude prices. According to CNBC, Saudi Aramco's 2021 net profit has more than doubled to hit $110 billion.
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