Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said the new weapons will allow Arab coalition forces, operating in Yemen against Houthi militias, to better avoid populated areas and infrastructure.

The recent sale of $1.29 billion in U.S. “smart” bombs to Saudi Arabia will allow for “greater precision” in air strikes on militia targets, the official spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition told AlArabiya.net on Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said the new weapons will allow Arab coalition forces, operating in Yemen against Houthi militias, to better avoid populated areas and infrastructure.

The sales reflect President Barack Obama’s pledge to bolster U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia and other Sunni allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council after his administration brokered a nuclear deal with Iran.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the sale would help the Royal Saudi Air Force’s (RSAF) replenish weapons supplies that are becoming depleted due to high demand for multiple “counter-terrorism” operations, while providing reserves for future missions.

The proposed sale includes 22,000 smart and general purpose bombs, including 1,000 GBU-10 Paveway II Laser Guided Bombs, and over 5,000 Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits to turn older bombs into precision-guided weapons using GPS signals.

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