Trump, Saudi Crown Prince discuss Yemen crisis

Washington : US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the situation in war-torn Yemen during a meeting on Tuesday, in talks that covered the Houthi militias, Iranian activity and the humanitarian situation, the White House said. “On Yemen, the president and the Crown Prince discussed the threat the Houthis pose to the region, assisted by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,” it said in a statement yesterday. 

“The leaders discussed additional steps to address the humanitarian situation and agreed that a political resolution to the conflict is ultimately necessary to meet the needs of the Yemeni people.” Trump gave a warm welcome to the Crown Prince on Tuesday and credited U.S. defense sales to the Saudis with boosting American jobs.

Just hours after the prince left the White House Tuesday, the US Senate rejected a bipartisan bid designed to withdraw US intelligence and reconnaissance support for the war in Yemen. The bill was defeated and the congress will not limit US military cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the Yemen war. Senators voted 55-44 to dismiss the bill.

Crown Prince Mohammed also met on Tuesday with Mitch McConnell, the leader of the majority in the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan to discuss bilateral issue and world development.

Later Crown Prince Mohammed met with Republican Senators Dan Sullivan, Tom Cotton, and Lindsey Graham, along with Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, in talks which the Saudi embassy said showed the “multidimensional” nature of the Kingdom’s relations with the US.