Saudi Minister of Defence meets with US Secretary of State
Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi defence minister, has met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ahead of the top diplomat's trip to Israel.
Bin Salman, the brother of the country's de-facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, said the two met to "review our close and strategic relations, as well as the efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region".
Their meeting comes as a host of leaders in the Middle East have been sharply critical of Western support for Israel. Jordan, a major US ally, removed its ambassador from Israel on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia had been in the process of normalising relations with Israel, but has issued a series of condemnations of it in recent weeks.
Last week Saudi officials warned a delegation of US senators that an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza would be “extremely harmful”.
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