Saudi Defense Minister, US counterpart discuss military cooperation
Saudi Defense Minister HRH Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, ways to enhance military cooperation between the two countries, two days after the failure of efforts to extend the armistice in Yemen, and the threats launched by the Ansar Allah group (Houthis).
“I received a phone call from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin,” the Saudi Defense Minister said on his Twitter account.
“We discussed bilateral cooperation between our two friendly countries in the military and defense field and ways to enhance it within the framework of the strategic partnership.” He added.
The Saudi minister indicated that the two sides also discussed “developments of regional and international events, and issues of common interest.”
US President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia last July, and affirmed his country’s “strong and lasting commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia’s security and defending its territories.”
The call came about a week after Prince Khalid bin Salman was appointed Minister of Defense in Saudi Arabia, and for years he has been the first and direct person responsible for the war file in Yemen.
After the failure of the extension of the truce in Yemen, the Houthi group announced that the airports, ports and oil companies in the coalition countries would be among the list of targets in the event the war and siege continued.
