In brief
Saudi Arabia’s defense minister and the U.S. defense secretary held a phone call Monday to review bilateral defence cooperation and address rising regional tensions, including ongoing Houthi attacks on Saudi soil. Both officials said the discussion included plans for de‑escalation and a review of the wider security environment, amid the long‑running Saudi‑led coalition’s campaign against the Houthi militia in Yemen. The meeting was reported by Anadolu Agency and the Saudi Press Agency, with a duplicate report appearing on Israel.com.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke on the phone Monday to review strategic defence cooperation while addressing rising regional tensions and the continued Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, the Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency reports.
The call, according to the Saudi Press Agency, also covered the ongoing threat posed by the Houthi militia and the Saudi‑led coalition’s efforts to de‑escalate hostilities in Yemen, where the coalition has fought the group since 2015.
Prince Khalid said the discussion examined both bilateral defense collaboration and a broader review of regional security developments, echoing the same points noted in an Israel.com report that the two men talked about “de‑escalation and Houthi attacks” amid U.S.–Iran settlement talks.
All accounts agree that the conversation focused on joint defence capability assessment, regional security concerns, and the ongoing Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi targets.
These meetings come as the Saudi‑led coalition continues to fight the Houthi group for control over Yemen, a conflict that began after the militia seized Yemen’s capital Sanaa and other regions in 2014.
