By Staff, Agencies

Campaigners won a legal challenge over the UK government's decision to allow arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is engaged in the war in Yemen.

Campaign Against Arms Trade argued the decision to continue to license military equipment for export to the Gulf state was unlawful.

It said there was a clear risk the arms might be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Judges said licenses should be reviewed but would not be immediately suspended.

Relatively, a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said the government was "disappointed" and would be seeking permission to appeal against the judgment.

The Department for International Trade said it disagreed with the judgment, saying it was not about whether the decisions themselves were right or wrong, but whether the process in reaching those decisions was correct.

Under UK export policy, military equipment licenses should not be granted if there is a "clear risk" that weapons might be used in a "serious violation of international humanitarian law".

The UK has licensed more than £4.7bn of arms exports to the Saudis since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015.

Equipment sold to Saudi Arabia includes Typhoon and Tornado fighter jets, as well as precision-guided bombs.

Meanwhile, Campaign Against Arms Trade spokesman Andrew Smith welcomed the judgment, saying the Saudi Arabian regime was one of the most brutal and repressive in the world - yet for decades had been the largest buyer of UK-made arms.

"No matter what atrocities it has inflicted, the Saudi regime has been able to count on the uncritical political and military support of the UK," he said.

"The bombing has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world."

Saudi Arabia's total imports of major arms more than tripled in the period from 2012 to 2017 compared with the previous five years.

This ruling is a blow to the government and to the British arms industry.

More than 40% of UK arms exports are destined for Saudi Arabia.