US, Saudi Arabian defense chiefs discuss regional developments

WASHINGTON

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud discussed regional developments Monday in a phone call.

The defense chiefs discussed Friday's US military action against Iran-aligned militant groups in Iraq and Syria in response to an attack in Jordan that killed three US soldiers as well as US and UK-led coalition strikes against targets belonging to Yemen’s Houthi group.

"The United States will continue working with regional partners to address threats to U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, as well as Houthi threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," Austin said on X.

Prince Khalid said they reviewed strategic Saudi-US relations and ways to bolster bilateral defense cooperation.

"We also discussed recent regional and international developments as well as the need to de-escalate tensions in the region to achieve security and stability," he said on X.

The US launched airstrikes on Friday against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria after a suicide drone attack killed three American troops in Jordan.