Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Al ‘Ula. The Secretary underscored the need to urgently address the humanitarian situation in Gaza and prevent further spread of the conflict,” Miller said in a press release on Monday.
Blinken and Bin Salman also discussed the ongoing efforts to reduce regional tensions, including by deterring Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the release said.
The US diplomat emphasized the importance of building a more secure and integrated Middle Eastern region, including via establishing a Palestinian state.
The meeting took place prior to Blinken travelling to Israel as part of his Middle East tour to attempt to contain the war in Gaza.
