The US Senate has voted to block a multibillion-dollar weapons deal with Saudi Arabia, just hours after the UK Court of Appeal ruled that the British sale of arms to the Kingdom for use in Yemen was unlawful.

Both actions test Saudi Arabia’s relations with the West and pile further pressure on the Kingdom to reassess its actions in Yemen, where together with its Gulf allies it has been fighting a ruinous five-year war against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

It also points to concerns about powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The day before both decisions, UN investigators announced they had found “credible evidence” the young prince was linked to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In the States, the rare bipartisan action saw two of the resolutions passed with 53 votes on Thursday, while another group was approved narrowly, with 51 votes.

Seven Republicans, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, broke with Donald Trump to reject at least some of the arms sales he was trying to push through.

Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13 years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in the capital Sanaa on November 2, 2018. (Release obtained) With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country. There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen. The country is on the brink of famine and childrenâ€™s chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day. UNICEF are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease. We are currently working to reach: â€¢ 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care â€¢ Over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases â€¢ Nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare â€¢ 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Â© UNICEF/UN0253367/ Huwais Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen On 31 October 2018 in Yemen, the Al Thawra Hospital in Hodeidah where children are being treated for severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa Geert Cappelaere visited Yemen from 29 October through 1 November 2018. As of 30 October 2018, over 11 million children â€“ 80 per cent of all children in the country â€“ require humanitarian assistance, due to the impact of the ongoing conflict. Worsening years of underdevelopment, attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and lack of salary payments for most civil servants have pushed basic services for children to the brink. Children face food shortages, disease, displacement and an acute lack of access to basic social services. One out of three children in Yemen is at risk of acute malnutrition. Â© UNICEF/UN0253574/Abdulhaleem Unicef/Abdulhaleem

Robert Menendez, the top Democrat who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the vote was a reminder that Congress could not be overlooked.

"This is a power grab, pure and simple," he said of Mr Trump's attempts to push the Saudi arms deal through. "[It will have] lasting implications for the role of Congress in the sale of arms around the world."

The Democrat-led House of Representatives is also expected to vote to block the sale too before it reaches Mr Trump’s desk.

However, it is unlikely Congress will then be able to secure the two-thirds majority needed to prevent a presidential veto, which Mr Trump has now promised to go ahead with, leaving the sale in limbo.

The president sparked fury on Capitol Hill last month by bypassing Congress to push through an $8 billion deal with Saudi Arabia which included precision-guided munitions, other bombs and ammunition and aircraft maintenance support.

At the time Mr Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued that amid ongoing tensions with Iran it was a matter of urgency.

The Saudis have recently faced a number of attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen. Just hours before the Senate vote, Iran shot down a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran military releases footage of 'missile strike on US drone'

The White House hit back saying stopping the sales "would send a message that the United States is abandoning its partners and allies at the very moment when threats to them are increasing.”

Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee echoed the statement adding that “to reject these sales at this time and under these circumstances is to reward recent Iranian aggression and to encourage further Iranian escalation,"

He said that blocking the sale would also "encourage miscalculation on the part of Iranians which will be disastrous."

Meanwhile the UK government confirmed that it had stopped approving the sale of weapons that could be used in Yemen after the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of anti-arms-trade campaigners.

Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, said the authorities would challenge the verdict but said but for now it suspended new export licences while it considers the implications of the judgment.

Both actions come amid soaring tensions in the Middle East that many fear may topple into war.

US officials said the States made preparations for a military strike against Iran on Thursday shortly after Iran downed the US drone over the Strait of Hormuz. However, with just hours to go the operation was abruptly called off.

Airline companies have scrambled to re-route their planes over Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, fearing an outbreak of further violence.

British Airways was the latest to change their flight paths, following Australia's Qantas, Dutch carrier KLM and Germany’s Lufthansa.