BERLIN: Germany resumed direct arms exports to Saudi Arabia by approving the sale of missiles, ending a blockade in place since 2018, the government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Wednesday.

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.

`The details of this report are accurate,` said Hebestreit, speaking at a regular government news conference. The newly approved Iris-T missiles could `be fired from aircraft at airborne targets, that is to say missiles, drones and so on`, Hebestreit added.

Approval for the export of the missiles, manufactured by German group Diehl Defence, was granted towards the end of last year, Spiegel reported.-AFP