Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
On February 5, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III called the Saudi Minister of Defense, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman to discuss U.S. military action against Iran-aligned militant groups in Iraq and Syria in response to the attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers, as well as U.S. and U.K.-led coalition strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Secretary also emphasized U.S. commitment to working with regional partners, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on ways to address continued Iran-aligned militant group threats to U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria and Houthi threats to commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea.
The Secretary underscored the importance of the enduring U.S. defense partnership with Saudi Arabia and reiterated the United States’ commitment to working with the Kingdom and other partners to deescalate tensions in the region.