Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Yael Lempert, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, in Riyadh to discuss attempts to find a diplomatic solution to Yemen’s war.
The two diplomats discussed regional and international issues, according to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
The US Department of State reported in a statement that the talks, which took place on Tuesday, covered a wide range of regional concerns, including the Lebanon situation.
In October, a diplomatic crisis occurred between Lebanon and the Gulf states over then-Information Minister George Kordahi’s criticism of the Yemen conflict.
Lempert’s trip to Saudi Arabia coincided with attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Since 2015, when the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels overran much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, Saudi Arabia has led a military operation against them.
With almost 80 percent of the nation, or about 30 million people, in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, the eight-year conflict has generated one of the world’s greatest man-made humanitarian disasters.
According to UN estimates, more than 13 million people are on the verge of starvation.
Lempert also met with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir a day prior to meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister.
