US reaffirms ‘strategic defence partnership’ with Saudis

Washington has reaffirmed its "strategic defence partnership" with Riyadh in the face of increased attacks by Yemeni rebels but the move came in a call from the Pentagon not the White House. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the Huthi attacks in a telephone conversation Thursday with his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the official Saudi Press Agency and a Pentagon statement said.  The conversation came after the White House announced on Tuesday that President Joe Biden's first telephone call to Saudi leaders would be to King Salman, and not his son, the crown prince, who is the kingdom's de facto leader but has a tarnished reputation within Democratic Party.

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