Germany resumed direct arms exports to Saudi Arabia with a decision to approve the sale of missiles, ending a blockade in place since 2018 on deliveries to the kingdom, the government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Wednesday.

Speaking at a regular government press conference, Hebestreit confirmed a report by the German weekly Spiegel, which said that Berlin had given the green light for the export of 150 Iris-T air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia.