The U.S. Department of State did not fully evaluate the risk of civilian casualties when it pushed through a massive sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia last year, a government watchdog's report said on Tuesday.
"OIG (the State Department Inspector General) found that the Department did not fully assess risks and implement mitigation measures to reduce civilian casualties and legal concerns associated with the transfer of PGMs included in the Secretary's May 2019 emergency certification," the report said.
Congress had requested an investigation into the Trump administration's May 2019 decision to push ahead with more than $8 billion in military sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, sidestepping the congressional review process by declaring an "emergency" over tensions with Iran.