Pentagon chief underscores US commitment to Saudi Arabia’s defense

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Monday that he had spoken to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to affirm Washington’s commitment to the Kingdom’s defense and to thank him for Riyadh’s work to promote calm in the Middle East.

Prince Khalid said the pair reviewed the Saudi-US strategic partnership and ways to bolster defense cooperation.

“We also discussed the latest regional and international developments, as well as efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote security and stability in the region,” Prince Khalid said in a post on X.

The Pentagon said Austin underscored the United States’ longstanding commitment to Saudi Arabia’s defense and the importance of the US-Saudi defense partnership to regional security. The call took place on Monday night.

“The Secretary and the Minister committed to continued close bilateral cooperation to enhance deterrence against shared threats, including from Iran and Iran-backed groups, and the Secretary thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts to promote calm in the region,” according to the Pentagon’s readout of the call.

Austin and Prince Khalid also discussed the need for all parties to contribute to restoring stability and responsible governance in Lebanon.

The US defense secretary underscored that the United States maintains significant capability in the region to support the defense of Washington’s regional partners, protect US personnel, and deter aggression.