Axios: Expected Visit of Saudi Defense Minister to Washington Tomorrow

Axios news website reported yesterday, Saturday, citing three informed sources, that Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman is expected to visit Washington tomorrow, Monday, to meet with senior officials in the U.S. administration. The sources told Axios that the visit has been arranged for some time, but it comes at a moment when Israel has entered the second phase of its war in Gaza, with its ground forces conducting operations against fighters from the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement (Hamas), pledging to "destroy the enemy above ground and below." The Axios report mentioned that the Saudi Defense Minister is expected to meet with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and several members of the Senate. The U.S. National Security Council responded to a question about the potential visit by stating that it has nothing to confirm. U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed efforts to prevent the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas during a phone call on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia is among the Arab countries that condemned the targeting of civilians and the "blatant violations of international law" in Gaza, which is undergoing intense Israeli bombardment. Biden stated that the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,400 people, aimed to disrupt a potential normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.