In a move widely seen as an effort to delay sanctions against Saudi Arabia for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Trump administration reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia to end refueling operations in Yemen. A coalition of Gulf states have been battling Houthi rebels in Yemen for 4 years, leading to 10,000 civilian deaths and the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Congress was to address the issue of sanctions against The Kingdom next week.

Reuters:

The move, announced by the coalition on Saturday and confirmed by Washington, comes at a time when Riyadh, already under scrutiny for civilian deaths in Yemen air strikes, is facing global furor and potential sanctions over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2.

The United States and Britain late last month called for a ceasefire in Yemen to support U.N.-led efforts to end the nearly four-year long war that has killed more than 10,000 people and triggered the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis.

“Recently, the Kingdom and the Coalition increased its capability to independently conduct inflight refueling in Yemen. As a result, in consultation with the United States, the Coalition has requested the cessation of inflight refueling support for its operations in Yemen,” it said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has a fleet of 23 planes for refueling operations, including six Airbus 330 MRTT used for Yemen, while the United Arab Emirates has six of the Airbus planes, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya al-Hadath channel reported on Saturday.

Riyadh also has nine KC-130 Hercules aircraft that can be used, it added.

There will be little practical effect on the war since the mid-air refueling operation only services a few planes. More importantly, it's a move that might allow the president to forestall other sanctions from Congress, including a cancellation or reduction in the $120 billion arms deal reached between the Trump administration and Saudis earlier this year.

Trump wants to avoid a break with the Saudis not only to save the arms deal, but because The Kingdom is on the front lines fighting against Iranian hegemony. The Saudis are fighting the Iranian backed Houthis in Yemen while also working with Israel to blunt Iranian ambitions in Syria. Next to Israel, the Saudi Arabian army is considered the best in the region. 

Hot heads in Congress want to pull the plug on the arms deal, giving little thought to the domestic economic impact and damage to our strategic position in the Middle East.  The administration is exploring other means to punish the Saudis for Khashoggi's murder that won't do permanent damage to our relations. The end of these refueling operations might give Trump the room he needs to come up with alternatives before Congress can act.