On February 18, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman to “reaffirm the strategic defense partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Pentagon said in a readout of the call.
The Secretary “condemned the recent Houthi cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed his commitment to assisting Saudi Arabia in the defense of its borders. Secretary Austin reiterated recent changes in U.S. policy toward the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen, discussed the importance of ending the war, and thanked the Crown Prince for Saudi Arabia’s commitment to a political settlement.”
Austin “underscored Saudi Arabia’s role as a pillar of the regional security architecture in the Middle East and the importance of sharing the responsibility of regional security and stability,” and “noted US and Saudi shared commitment to countering Iran’s destabilizing activities and defeating violent extremist organizations in the region.”
Lloyd J. Austin III is the 28th secretary of defense, sworn in on Jan. 22, 2021. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Austin served 41 years in uniform, retiring as a four-star Army general after three years as commander of U.S. Central Command.
