Saudi defence minister meets Trump after joint strikes in Iraq

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met President Donald Trump and other senior US officials at the White House on Wednesday, July 29, hours after joint US-Saudi strikes targeted Iran-backed militias in eastern Iraq.

Prince Khalid’s visit had initially been scheduled for the previous week but was postponed following a rise in attacks by Iran-backed groups across the region.

During a meeting with Vice President JD Vance — his first with the Saudi defence minister — Prince Khalid said the Kingdom would not tolerate attacks on its energy infrastructure or civilian targets, sources familiar with the discussions told Al Arabiya English.

Vance welcomed the visit and praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

According to the sources, Riyadh’s participation in Tuesday night’s strikes was intended as a message not only to militias in Iraq but also to the Houthis in Yemen, signalling that Saudi Arabia would not accept attacks on civilian or energy facilities.

Prince Khalid reiterated Riyadh’s longstanding call to de-escalate regional tensions and maintain stability, while making clear that the Kingdom has both the capability and the resolve to defend itself when necessary, the sources said. He added that Saudi Arabia was not seeking a broader regional confrontation, even as it continues to respond to Iran-backed threats.

The meetings took place after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington earlier in the week. The sources said Saudi Arabia was focused on ways to reduce tensions across the region, while Netanyahu was advocating for greater escalation.

Following the strikes, the Saudi Ministry of Defence said the Kingdom “does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression it faces.”

The meeting came amid renewed attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed groups in both Iraq and Yemen. In Yemen, the Houthis have targeted Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea and attempted strikes inside the Kingdom, raising concerns about a return to broader hostilities. In Iraq, Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed several drones launched by Iran-backed militias on Monday and Tuesday.

A US source familiar with the operation told Al Arabiya English that around 20 Iranians were killed in the strikes.

By Tamilla Hasanova