Washington: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as fighting involving Yemen's Houthi movement continues to raise security concerns in the region.
The talks are expected to cover Saudi US relations as well as regional and international developments. The visit comes as Saudi Arabia faces a series of attacks by the Houthis and seeks greater security support from international partners.
The meeting follows Prince Faisal's participation in the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In his speech on September 26, he highlighted Saudi Arabia's security concerns and stressed the importance of protecting international navigation, including through the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al Mandab, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Yemen conflict has intensified in recent weeks. The Houthis have increased their attacks against Saudi Arabia, while fighting has also expanded in parts of Yemen. The United Nations has warned about the growing security and humanitarian consequences of the escalation.
The UN has reported Houthi attacks involving missiles and drones against Saudi territory. On September 14, the Houthis claimed attacks involving ballistic missiles and drones against the King Khaled Air Base in Khamis Mushait. Saudi authorities have also reported intercepting missiles launched by Houthi forces.
The latest escalation has also affected civilians inside Yemen. The World Health Organization reported on September 24 that more than 122,000 people had been displaced by the recent escalation across eight Yemeni governorates. It said 3,672 casualties, including 674 deaths and 2,998 injuries, were reported between August 6 and September 18.
The fighting has also raised concerns about the security of the Bab al Mandab Strait, a major shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The waterway is important for international trade between Europe and Asia, making any serious disruption a concern for global shipping.
The United Nations has described the situation around Bab al Mandab as volatile, while saying commercial shipping through the Red Sea had not been significantly affected at the time of its latest assessment.
Saudi Arabia has been seeking assistance from several countries as the security situation has worsened. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt issued a joint statement on September 22 affirming Riyadh's right to defend itself under international law and stressing the importance of safe navigation.
Britain has also announced defensive assistance for Saudi Arabia. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain would provide a Royal Air Force Voyager aircraft for air to air refuelling of Saudi aircraft, initially for several weeks and subject to review.
The United States has publicly reaffirmed its defence commitments to Saudi Arabia. Rubio has said Washington has a strong defence relationship with Riyadh and would honour its commitments, while declining to discuss specific military options.
Reuters has reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sought US military assistance against the Houthis earlier this month. According to the report, Washington declined to launch strikes but agreed to provide intelligence and targeting support.
The details of the reported assistance have not been publicly disclosed. It is also not clear whether the Washington talks will result in any new US military commitment.
Saudi Arabia has continued to stress the need for regional security while also calling for a political solution to the Yemen crisis. Iran has rejected responsibility for Houthi actions and has called for dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
The Saudi US talks come as Riyadh seeks greater security support while several countries increase defensive assistance.
No new US military commitment resulting from the talks had been announced at the time of publication.