Watch: Blinken meets Saudi defense minister at State Department

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Watch as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Saudi Arabian defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Washington, DC on Wednesday, 1 November.

According to sources cited by Axios at the weekend, the visit had been long-scheduled but would come as Israel unleashed the second phase of the Gaza war and as the US and Saudi Arabia expressed concerns that the conflict could escalate into a regional war.

Khalid bin Salman is also expected to meet with other White House officials such as national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and several senators, according to the Axios report.

Reuters reported that the White House National Security Council said it had nothing to confirm about the possible visit.

It comes after Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman discussed efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from widening last Tuesday, according to the White House.