Biden Calls Saudi King To Discuss Houthi Attacks, Oil Supply

The king of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, spoke by phone with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, “to discuss regional developments and issues of mutual concern, including Iranian-enabled attacks by the Houthis against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia,” according to a readout of the call by the White House. During the call, according to the readout, Biden “underscored the US commitment to support Saudi Arabia in the defense of its people and territory from these attacks and full support for UN-led efforts to end the war in Yemen.” The official Saudi Press Agency reported that King Salman “underscored the importance of strengthening mutual security cooperation to confront terrorism and its financing” and commended Biden “for expressing the United States’ commitment to support the Kingdom in its defense of its lands and citizens.” During the call, the king also “stressed the need to work together to counter the destabilizing activities of Iran’s proxies in the region,” and said that the kingdom is “committed to deescalating tensions in the region and promoting dialogue.” Saudi Arabia leads a coalition of Arab states in supporting the internationally recognized government of Yemen against the Houthi rebels. The king “expressed the Kingdom’s resolve in reaching a comprehensive political resolution in Yemen, and its efforts to bring prosperity and security for the Yemeni people, referring to the Kingdom’s continuing humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.” The White House also noted that the two leaders reiterated their commitments to “ensuring the stability of global energy supplies.” In the same vein, the king “stressed the importance of maintaining balance and stability in the oil markets, highlighting the role of the historic OPEC Plus agreement in this regard, and the importance of maintaining the agreement.”