Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke today with Qatar Amir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss the longstanding U.S. security partnership with Qatar, as well as to consult on the situation in the Middle East region. The Secretary also emphasized the U.S. commitment to supporting the defense of its partners in the region and our commitment to preventing an escalation of the conflict.