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World

Saudi foreign minister in Washington for talks with Rubio as Houthi tensions escalate

Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and regional developments, amid escalating hostilities between Riyadh and Yemen's Houthis.

By Sarah Whitfield · · 1 min read

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Saudi state news agency said, amid escalating hostilities between Riyadh and Yemen’s Houthis.

The two will discuss bilateral ties as well as key regional and international developments, the agency said, according to Reuters.

The visit follows a push by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this month for US military help against the Iran-backed Houthis. Washington declined to launch strikes but agreed to supply intelligence and targeting support, Reuters reported, citing sources.

The New York Times reported last week that President Trump had initially ordered the Pentagon to prepare strikes against the Houthis, but reversed course as US warplanes were being readied, according to Haaretz’s account of the report. Trump’s advisers were reportedly concerned about opening another front in Yemen while the US military was strained by the war with Iran.

Fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has intensified in recent months after years of relative calm following a 2022 truce. The Houthis have also expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including towards the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Yemen’s Saudi-led coalition said it had recently intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by the Houthis towards the kingdom.

Sources

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