The Pentagon is seeking to recoup $331 million from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the aerial refueling of warplanes in the Yemen war following an accounting error, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said Thursday.
Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, requested an investigation into reimbursements for the American aerial refueling assistance earlier this year, and U.S. Central Command reported back that it had not properly tracked the payments.
“This is good news for U.S. taxpayers and underscores the need for strong oversight of the Department of Defense,” Reed, the Senate Armed Services ranking member, said in a statement. “The American people should not be forced to bear these costs and I am encouraged DOD is taking steps to get full reimbursement.”
The military provided the refueling to the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels until November, when it ended the assistance amid increasing criticism of the Yemen war on Capitol Hill.
The Senate voted 56-41 on Thursday to end all U.S. involvement in a war that has sparked outrage among lawmakers over Saudi airstrikes on civilians and spreading famine in the Mideast country.
The Trump administration has argued against ending support to the Saudis, which it says is key to countering Iran and terror groups as well as reducing the unintended killing of civilians.
