Saudi Defense Minister to Vice President Vance: "Unlike Netanyahu, we are not interested in escalation"
A source familiar with the details said the purpose of the meeting was to convey a message to Vance from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The minister said that the attacks by pro-Iranian militias in Iraq against infrastructure and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia crossed a red line, and therefore the kingdom was forced to respond.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman told Vice President Vance at a meeting at the White House on Wednesday that, unlike Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is interested in curbing the escalation with Iran, said a source familiar with the meeting.
Why it matters
According to the source, the purpose of the meeting was to convey a message to Vance from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) regarding the war with Iran and the joint US-Saudi attack against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. Saudi Arabia is one of the United States' key allies in the Middle East. Despite tensions on several issues over the past five months, Saudi Arabia has managed to influence Donald Trump's policy toward Iran several times since the outbreak of the war. Prince Khalid, the crown prince's brother and close confidant, was supposed to arrive in Washington last week but postponed his visit following the attacks in Iraq.
Situation report
On Tuesday, the Saudi military and US Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out joint strikes against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. CENTCOM said in a statement that the strikes were carried out in response to more than 30 drone attacks directed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against targets in Saudi Arabia during the 72 hours prior. The Saudi Ministry of Defense later confirmed that it participated in the strikes and noted that they were carried out in coordination with CENTCOM.
Inside the room
A source familiar with the meeting said the Saudi Defense Minister told Vance that the attacks by pro-Iranian militias in Iraq against infrastructure and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia crossed a red line, and therefore the kingdom was forced to respond. The crown prince wanted to clarify to Vance that the attacks in Iraq do not indicate that Saudi Arabia supports escalation, but rather that it is prepared to defend itself if necessary, the source said.
The Saudi Defense Minister arrived at the White House a day after the visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A senior Israeli official said that Netanyahu discussed the situation in Saudi Arabia with Donald Trump on Tuesday in the context of regional challenges. Prince Khalid told Vance that Netanyahu is pushing for escalation with Iran, while Saudi Arabia is interested in de-escalation because it is the path that will yield better results, said the source familiar with the meeting. The Vice President's office declined to comment.
Reminder
During a phone call two weeks ago, President Donald Trump gave Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman his support for unusual military action against the Houthis in Yemen. In response, the Houthis threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi ports and even carried out several attacks against Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. The source added that Saudi Arabia was forced to respond with force in Iraq also to send a message to the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen and deter them from carrying out similar attacks against the kingdom. The Saudi Defense Minister told Vance on Wednesday that the kingdom is capable of dealing with the Houthis on its own, and that at this stage it does not need additional American involvement. According to him, the Saudis are also conducting negotiations with the Houthis.
