Biden admin to meet with Saudi defense minister this week in bid to ease tensions: report

Royal Court of Saudi Arabia / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia’s defense minister is set to visit the White House this week in a bid to tamp down regional tensions in the Middle East after the kingdom reportedly shot down a missile fired from Yemen that was intended for Israel.

"I can tell you that Saudi Arabia wants to make sure that the U.S. fully understands the humongous ramifications of the Israeli ground invasion into Gaza," Salman Al-Ansari, an independent Saudi Arabian geopolitical analyst, told Fox News Digital. "Riyad wants D.C. to think critically and to not fall into supporting decisions that may fire back at the U.S. interests and the whole region."

Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman is set to visit Washington on Monday to talk with senior Biden administration officials, Axios reported after speaking with three sources with knowledge of the trip. Bin Salman, the brother of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and former ambassador to the U.S., would be the highest-ranking Saudi official to visit Washington since Biden took office.

The meetings will include national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and several others, according to the report.

Saudi Arabia warned Saturday that "any ground operation by Israel would threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians and result in inhumane dangers."