Probably led by Saudi Arabia, who recently said they would arm Islamist rebels in Syria with MANPAD anti-aircraft missiles.

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebels said Friday they have received new weapons from friendly countries that could lead to changes on the ground and victories against President Bashar Assad’s forces.

The arms shipments arrived recently from Arab nations and other countries, a spokesman for the opposition fighters, Loay AlMikdad, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

He did not elaborate on the shipments but insisted no weapons have come from the United States so far.

AlMikdad’s comments confirm earlier AP reporting that new weapons were recently delivered to the opposition from allies, enabling them to stall advances by regime forces in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and elsewhere.

Opposition members and experts had told the AP that Gulf countries delivered earlier this month new anti-tank missiles and some anti-aircraft missiles to rebel commanders.