Sources in Washington said that despite the positive atmosphere in the talks and the success in reaching agreements on Saudi investments in the US and other civil matters, security issues remain unresolved and contacts on the subject will continue. Regarding normalization with Israel, the Saudis presented a stubborn position stating they would be ready to begin talks only upon the full conclusion of the war, through the completion of Phase B of the Donald Trump plan.

The American response was that the Saudis are giving Hamas veto power, as Hamas refuses to advance to talks or disarm, partly due to Iranian pressure on several regime officials. Iran aims to torpedo or delay such normalization, which strengthens the regional alliance against it.

A second demand raised by the Saudis is the full establishment of the path to establishing a Palestinian state. Reports indicated that Israel, meaning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, must publicly confirm his commitment regarding this clause in the Donald Trump plan and the Security Council resolution. As Israel Hayom revealed, Riyadh made clear in early contacts that it could not sign onto joining the Abraham Accords and normalization with the government in its current composition, meaning with the right-wing parties of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

This concerns not only statements by the right-wing MKs against a Palestinian state or Saudi Arabia itself, but mainly their push to expand the settlements. A Saudi diplomatic source told Israel Hayom that it is clear to the Saudi leadership that in the current government, Netanyahu will struggle to advance the basic conditions for promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Saudis do not rule out talks with Israel soon, and even reaching agreements on civil and economic matters – but they rule out normalization and official accession to the Abraham Accords with the current Israeli government.

An Arab diplomatic official said the prevailing assessment is that such official talks would begin with the war's conclusion phase, but unofficial talks and contacts between the countries would continue and even accelerate before then, due to pressure from Donald Trump. "We estimate that the acceptance of Saudi security requests, or at least most of them, will be announced then," the official said. The official referred here to the supply of advanced weapons types, including F-35 stealth aircraft.

Regarding the issue of selling the advanced aircraft to Saudi Arabia, Israel did not object in principle but asked the US for two things. First, Israel asked to supply the Saudis with models that do not possess the most sophisticated systems available for the aircraft. Donald Trump said Tuesday that in his opinion it is possible to give Saudi Arabia and Israel the same systems, but the Pentagon and the State Department believe Israel's qualitative edge must be preserved in this aspect.

The president added that Israel is aware of the entire issue of the aircraft sale, and it will be very satisfied with the results of this move, meaning it will gain in other places. The second request is receiving specific security items and access to technologies that until now existed only in the hands of the US military and were not sold to Israel. There is some progress here, although the entire request was not fulfilled.

An Israeli security official criticized the diplomatic level for not sharing the management of contacts with the administration with the relevant security echelon, noting that in the past this level was involved in talks such as these. The official said the approach to the security echelon occurred only after the objection in principle to the sale had already been removed.

The IDF, incidentally, is not very concerned about the sale of F-35 aircraft to Saudi Arabia, as the Israeli qualitative edge lies in the levels of technology integration of the aircraft with other technologies and systems, as well as in the much higher skill of the Israeli pilots.

In the diplomatic bottom line, Israel has swallowed a bitter pill in the form of consent to the "path to a Palestinian state" clause. It will swallow another bitter pill or two regarding weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region. The first and major return, the hostages and remaining in Gaza, has been accepted. Now the diplomatic return is awaited, though its political price will be high.

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The young royal, who became internationally recognized as the "Sleeping Prince," required continuous mechanical breathing assistance throughout his hospitalization and never achieved complete awareness during his extended medical care. His tragic passing was confirmed through social media by his father, who had maintained hope for his son's recovery throughout the lengthy ordeal.

Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, the deceased royal's father, announced the death through an emotional message on the social platform X. The grieving parent incorporated religious scripture into his statement, drawing from Islamic holy text to express his family's profound loss and acceptance of divine will.

"With hearts believing in Allah's will and decree, and with deep sorrow and sadness, we mourn our beloved son: Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away today," the father wrote in his tribute message. The statement reflected both the family's religious faith and their devastating grief over losing their eldest child.

The circumstances surrounding the initial accident date back to when Prince Al-Waleed was pursuing his education at a British military institution in London. His academic pursuits were permanently interrupted by the catastrophic crash that would define the remainder of his shortened existence.

Following the traumatic event, medical professionals transferred the critically injured prince to King Abdulaziz Medical City located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The specialized medical facility became his permanent residence, where he remained in an unconscious state from that point forward until his recent death.

Throughout the extended period of medical care, Prince Al-Waleed's father demonstrated unwavering determination regarding his son's treatment and potential for recovery. The devoted parent maintained optimistic expectations that his child would eventually achieve complete rehabilitation and return to normal life.

The senior royal consistently refused to consider terminating his son's life-sustaining medical interventions despite the prolonged nature of the unconscious condition.

Social media platforms experienced widespread discussion following the official death announcement, with the phrase "Sleeping Prince" becoming a trending topic across multiple networks. Thousands of individuals from around the globe shared messages of sympathy and support for the bereaved royal family.

"May Prince Al-Waleed bin Khalid, Rest In Peace. Deepest sympathies to his loved ones," one social media user expressed in their condolence message. The public response demonstrated international awareness of the prince's prolonged medical struggle and the family's enduring ordeal.

"Your time on earth was a blessing to your family and the world in general," another individual commented on the tragic circumstances. These expressions of sympathy highlighted the widespread compassion felt by observers who had followed the prince's story over the years.

"May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace," a third person contributed to the online memorial discussion. The collective outpouring of support illustrated how the prince's situation had touched people globally, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.

Religious ceremonies honoring Prince Al-Waleed's life will take place at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, according to News.com.au. The funeral prayers represent the final chapter in a story that captured international attention for over two decades.

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At this very moment, the world's eyes are turned to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the first high-level discussion between American and Russian officials is taking place since President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that after the initial phase, Europe would be involved. However, another question occupies many minds: How did the city that was long considered the capital of the world's most conservative state transform within a few years into a center of international diplomacy and business?

In June 2012, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was appointed crown prince following the death of his brother Nayef, and in January 2015, he became king after the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. At age 80, the king gradually transferred the reins of power to his favored son Mohammed, appointing him prince shortly after, changing the succession line from horizontal (brother to brother) to vertical (father to son). Mohammed, known by his acronym MBS, who was less than 30 years old at the time of appointment, is essentially the face of change.

"Agenda 2030" is his manifesto – a plan to transform the nation's character by 2030 through reducing dependence on oil (Saudi Arabia is the world's largest producer), opening the economy to new technologies, and introducing women (who were previously invisible) into the workforce and society. By 2025, Prince Mohammed has already succeeded in some of his missions. Saudi Arabia today is barely recognizable compared to what it was 10 years ago. Unlike before, all Western nations now stand in line to take a small part in its meteoric development.

The change is not just cultural and economic, but also primarily about image. The new Saudi Arabia manages to market itself as more liberal and democratic, but in practice, it remains very similar to the old Saudi Arabia. It is well known that MBS' impressive results were achieved through the elimination of his opponents. In recent years alone, hundreds of opponents, economists, and journalists have been arrested. The most publicized case was the assassination of famous Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Istanbul consulate by individuals close to Prince Mohammed.

Regarding its relations with the United States, Riyadh has always maintained close ties with Washington. However, despite condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in recent years Saudi Arabia has also maintained friendly relations with Vladimir Putin, partly thanks to connections forged within OPEC – the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Through this network of relationships, Saudi Arabia has become the official mediator for prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, and between Russia and the United States – a critical and unique role that no other nation has achieved.

Indeed, Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly the most surprising yet strategic country for these talks. First and foremost because it has managed to maintain its hybrid geopolitical character between Russia and the United States, therefore being perceived by both sides as friendly territory, or at least not hostile. For Russia, the possibility of meeting in a country not associated with NATO – and one that did not join Western sanctions – is much more acceptable than meeting in Europe, for example. Similarly, the United States sees Saudi Arabia as a reliable mediator that maintains its status as a long-term ally.

Additionally, from a logistical and security perspective, Saudi Arabia can ensure discretion and control over the event. Riyadh can host both delegations far from the Western press's eye, which suits the sensitive and discreet nature of both Russia and the United States very well. It's also worth remembering that the Saudis already played an active role in the Ukraine war when in summer 2023 they hosted an international summit in Jeddah on the Ukrainian peace plan, attended by several world powers committed to the cause.

However, as mentioned, Riyadh's involvement is not without interests. On the contrary, it aligns with the broader Saudi strategy to upgrade its status as a global diplomatic hero. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sees the high-profile negotiations as an opportunity to strengthen the kingdom's international image as a participant in peace and stability. After years in which Saudi Arabia was often associated with conflicts or human rights disputes, now MBS wants to present his country as part of the solution to global crises. Perhaps he, just like Donald Trump, dreams of a Nobel Peace Prize.

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Despite the shocking recent rapprochement between long-time regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, the prospect of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is progressing, Israel Hayom has learned. 

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According to a United States official, Washington is examining demands put forth by Riyadh as conditions for normalization with Jerusalem. 

Potential US presidential candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who visited Israel last week, said, among other things, that there was "a great opportunity to have a US-Israel-Arab country alliance vis-à-vis the nefarious influence of the Iranians, and I think that is something that is doable. I think with proper policy and proper relations you could see Saudi Arabia recognize the existence of Israel."

Israel's political echelon hopes that Riyadh will seek to boost ties with Washington as it seeks to maintain its connections with superpowers.

Saudi Arabia is said to have presented the following demands: a defense alliance, a civilian nuclear program, increased trade, and putting an end to criticism of Saudi Arabia over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. 

The efforts are led by US Senator Lindsey Graham, who visited Riyadh, and later Jerusalem, two weeks ago. Graham stressed that although he was a Republican, he would support President Joe Biden if the administration accepted the Saudi demands and this would eventually lead to normalization between Jerusalem and Riyadh. He warned, however, that there was a "limited" time frame for the opportunity. 

"If we do not do it in 2023 or early 2024, the window might close," he said.

According to the US source, the process of analyzing the demands will take several months. The source said that for Israel, the most worrisome demand is for civilian nuclear power, however, at this point, Jerusalem's position on the matter is unclear. 

Striking a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia is one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main goals in his current term. His close adviser, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, stated several times that a policy change by the Biden administration with regard to Saudi Arabia could lead to peace between Riyadh and Jerusalem and a Nobel Prize for Biden. 

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A US intelligence report released Friday concluded Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman authorized either the kidnapping or assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

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The details of the report, which have been reported in the past, are based on circumstantial evidence.

So, for example, the report bases its assessment on the crown prince's control of the decision-making process in the kingdom, the direct involvement of his adviser Saud al-Qahtani and members of the royal security system in the killing, and his support for the use of violent means to silence opponents of the regime overseas.

It seems US President Joe Biden's administration could have sufficed with a public condemnation to placate the Democratic party's puritanical wing, a wing that is nevertheless less puritanical when it comes to Iran.

Yet the US secretary went even further. In a statement that followed, Antony Blinken announced a "Khashoggi Ban" that would allow the White House to impose visa restrictions on figures who act "on behalf of a foreign government, are believed to have been directly engaged in serious, extraterritorial counter-dissident activities, including those that suppress, harass, surveil, threaten, or harm journalists, activists, or other persons perceived to be dissidents for their work, or who engage in such activities with respect to the families or other close associates of such persons."

The ban, which went into immediate effect, was imposed on 76 Saudis the US believes were involved in threatening opponents of the regime, including Khashoggi, overseas. As a result, the US Treasury will sanction former Saudi intelligence official Ahmad Asiri, bin Salman's guards, and members of the elite Saudi unit known as the "Tiger Squad," among others. Asked why no sanctions were imposed on the crown prince himself, Blinken replied that the US was interested in recalibrating and not cutting off its Saudi ties.

Anyone who has followed the Saudi arena and its ties with the US since Biden entered office might, however, view this move as Washington once again turning its back on a central ally in the name of serving as a beacon of liberal values. Yet US officials would be hard-pressed to find a more liberal alternative to bin Salman in Riyadh.

Nevertheless, the Biden administration has not sufficed with taking the Houthi rebels off the US's terrorist list, saying it intends to halt support for the Saudi coalition in the war in Yemen, and hopes for a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Now, it has imposed sanctions on members of the Saudi regime.

From Riyadh's standpoint, this is even more insulting given its recent efforts to appease the Biden White House. Political activists, most prominent among them Loujain al-Hathloul, have been released from prison, and the kingdom announced its intention to implement a series of judicial reforms. In addition, Riyadh made extreme concessions to reach a reconciliation with and remove its blockade of Qatar despite the Gulf state failing to meet any of the demands laid out by boycotting parties three years prior.

At the same time, Iran has increased its provocations against the kingdom. The Houthis in Yemen ramped up their drone attacks, damaging a passenger airplane at an airport in southern Saudi Arabia. The ayatollahs last month went even farther when, according to an Associated Press report, drones, whose Iranian components were put together in Iraq, were launched by Shia militias on the Iraqi border, toward Riyadh, ultimately crashing in the vicinity of the Saudi royal palace.

Saudi Arabia may have rejected the US statement, which it called "false and unacceptable," as well as any move that would impact its leadership, sovereignty, or the independence of its judicial system.  The Saudi Foreign Ministry claimed the US intelligence report contained "inaccurate information and conclusions." It also once again distanced itself from the "group of individuals" it said had acted in violation of all regulations and authorities and emphasized the kingdom had taken steps to prosecute and sentence those involved within the framework of its judicial system.

Yet the Saudi Foreign Ministry didn't completely shut the door on the US, instead emphasizing the partnership between Riyadh and Washington was "robust and enduring."

Toward the end of former US President Donald Trump's term in office, Israel Hayom reported the crown prince faced a dilemma as to whether to normalize ties with Israel. On one hand, the window of opportunity to do so was closing, while the move was met with opposition from the kingdom's more conservative members, chief among them Saudi King Salman, who has continued to support the Saudi peace initiative. On the other hand, it was unclear what bin Salman had to gain under the Biden administration that he couldn't have achieved under Trump.

Given the impasse in Israel-Palestinian talks, the Arab initiative still seems irrelevant. Israel is not expected to see the formation of a left-wing coalition following the coming March 23 election. And even in the shadow of the coronavirus, the Palestinians do not appear to be very interested in forging closer ties. Elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, to be held on May 22, could end in a victory for Hamas that sees the terror group gain a foothold in the Palestinian Authority.

Against this background, bin Salman appears to have missed the train to normalization. He continues to face opposition from the kingdom's conservative wing, has zero chance of being able to sponsor a political process between Ramallah and Jerusalem, and whatever he could have achieved under Trump is no longer on the table.

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Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Friday a resolution to a bitter dispute with Qatar seemed "within reach" after Kuwait announced progress toward ending a row that Washington says has hampered a united Arab Gulf front against Iran.

The United States and Kuwait have worked to end the dispute, during which Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt have imposed a diplomatic, trade, and travel embargo on Qatar since mid-2017.

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US President Donald Trump's senior adviser Jared Kushner had held talks in Doha on Wednesday following a visit to Saudi Arabia.

"We have made significant progress in the last few days thanks to the continuing efforts of Kuwait but also thanks to strong support from President Trump," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a Rome conference via videolink.

"We hope this progress can lead to a final agreement which looks within reach and I can say I am somewhat optimistic that we are close to finalizing an agreement between all the nations in the dispute."

A source in Washington familiar with the discussions said a tentative deal had been reached by the parties that could be signed in a few weeks.

"They're working towards taking what's an agreement in principle and getting it actually signed," the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Friday welcomed the developments, state-run news agency KUNA said.

"This agreement has shown that all concerned parties are keen on retaining the pan-Gulf and the pan-Arab solidarity, unity, and stability," he said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking remotely at a Bahrain summit on Friday, said the United States was "very hopeful" that the dispute would be resolved.

All countries involved are US allies. Qatar hosts the region's largest US military base, Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE host US troops as well.

Washington has been pushing for reopening Gulf airspace for Qatari aircraft as a first step, diplomats and sources have said.

The boycotting nations accuse Doha of supporting terrorism. Qatar denies the charges and says the embargo aims to undermine its sovereignty.

'An imperative step'

Kuwait's foreign minister, Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Sabah, said earlier on Friday that fruitful discussion had taken place recently "in which all sides expressed their keenness for Gulf and Arab unity and stability, and to reach a final agreement that realizes lasting solidarity."

In a Twitter post, Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, welcomed the Kuwaiti statement as "an imperative step" toward resolving the rift.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is encouraged by the Kuwait statement and hopes all countries involved work together to formally resolve their differences, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif in a Twitter post said he hoped Gulf reconciliation "contributes to stability and political and economic development for all peoples of our region."

The Qatari minister earlier told the Rome conference that Doha hoped "things will move in the right direction" but that any resolution should be based on mutual respect for sovereignty, including in foreign policy.

The boycotting nations had set 13 demands, ranging from closing the Al Jazeera broadcaster and shuttering a Turkish base to cutting links to the Muslim Brotherhood and downgrading ties with Iran, which shares a significant gas field with Qatar.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Neom, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, a senior official has confirmed to Israel Hayom. The official added that Mossad Director Yossi Cohen was at the meeting as well.

The senior officials discussed Jerusalem-Riyadh ties and possibly the signing of a peace deal in the near future.

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Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, who serves as defense minister and prime minister-designate was not appraised of the meeting, nor was Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, the official said. The two were also excluded from the talks with the United Arab Emirates.

Riyadh has yet to officially comments on the reports of the meeting, which was arranged by US Special Representative for Iran Elliot Abrams.

The top Israeli official noted that while Riyadh had initially acquiesced to the have the fact that the meeting took place leaked to the media, the latter broke the story sooner than planned.

The plan was to leak some of the details of the meeting over several hours, but once Israeli media reported the Netanyahu had abruptly canceled a planned cabinet meeting, as well as images of the presumed flight path of the plane that took him and Cohen to Neom, the information was made public in its entiretly.

Earlier Monday, Israeli intelligence website Intellitimes reported that a plane had departed from Israel on Sunday afternoon for Neom, Saudi Arabia, where it remained for several hours on the tarmac before returning home. Although not Israeli, the plane had at one point been designated to fly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the signing ceremony of the peace accords with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in Washington in October.

Both US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu have in recent weeks said additional Arab states were interested in signing accords with Israel. On Sunday, Pompeo said other Arab states could join the Abraham Accords. Saudi Arabia for its part has declared it would only enter into an accord with Israel once Jerusalem had signed a deal with the Palestinians.

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Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Saturday he was confident that Democrat Joe Biden's incoming US administration would pursue policies that help regional stability and that any discussions with it would bolster cooperation.

Riyadh is bracing itself for a new US president who has pledged on the election campaign trail to reassess ties with Saudi Arabia, a state Biden described as a "pariah" in 2019.

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Speaking on the sidelines of a virtual meeting of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies, which his country is hosting, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said, "I'm confident that a Biden administration would continue to pursue policies that are in the interest of regional stability."

He said, "Any discussions we will have with the future administration will lead to strong cooperation."

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman enjoyed close personal ties with President Donald Trump and their relationship provided a buffer against international criticism over Riyadh's record following the murder of Saudi journalist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi, Riyadh's role in the war in Yemen, and the country's detention of women's rights activists.

Those areas may now become points of friction between Biden and Saudi Arabia, a major oil exporter and buyer of US arms.

Prince Faisal emphasized the 75-year history of "strong defense cooperation" between the two countries and said he expected it to continue.

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The kingdom's decision to enter the International Maritime Security Construct came ahead of a planned visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Saudi officials separately planned to share information about the weapons used to attack a Saudi oil field and the world's largest crude oil processing plant, Saturday.

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Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have taken responsibility for the attack, but the US and Saudi Arabia say they suspect Iran carried out the assault. Iran denies that, though it comes amid a summer of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency issued a statement on Wednesday morning quoting an unnamed official saying the kingdom had joined the International Maritime Security Construct.

Australia, Bahrain, and the United Kingdom have already joined the mission.

"The kingdom's accession to this international alliance comes in support of regional and international efforts to deter and counter threats to maritime navigation and global trade in order to ensure global energy security and the continued flow of energy supplies to the global economy and contribute to maintain the international peace and security," the news agency said.

US military officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

The coalition aims to secure the broader Persian Gulf region. It includes surveillance of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world's oil travels, and Bab-el-Mandeb, another narrow strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden off Yemen and East Africa. Smaller patrol boats and other craft will be available for rapid response. The plan also allows for nations to escort their own ships through the region.

The US Navy has already sent Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to chokepoint positions, such as either end of the Strait of Hormuz. There, they observe ship traffic and monitor for anything unusual as drones and other aircraft fly surveillance routes overhead.

The US blames Iran for the apparent limpet mine explosions on four vessels in May and another two in June sailing in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, something Iran denies. Iran also seized a British-flagged oil tanker and another based in the United Arab Emirates.

Nevertheless, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said Saudi Arabia should see the attack on its oil facilities over the weekend as a warning to end its Yemen war. He did not address allegations Iran was behind the attack.

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels since March 2015.

It's unclear what role the kingdom will play in the coalition. Bahrain already serves as the headquarters of the US Navy's 5th Fleet.

Wednesday's announcement comes after Saudi Arabia's energy minister said late Tuesday that more than half of the country's daily crude oil production that was knocked out by an attack had been recovered and that production capacity at its targeted plants would be fully restored by the end of the month.

"Where would you find a company in this whole world that went through such a devastating attack and came out like a phoenix?" Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman asked about state-owned Saudi Aramco, which was the target of the attacks. His question to reporters, many of them Saudi, drew applause.

Abdulaziz said Aramco would honor its commitments to its customers this month by drawing from its reserves of crude oil and offering additional crude production from other oil fields. He said that production capacity would reach up to 11 million barrels a day by the end of September and 12 million barrels in November.

He said production at the Abqaiq processing facility is currently at 2 million barrels per day.

Oil prices spiked Monday, with benchmark Brent crude having the biggest percentage gain since the 1991 Gulf War. Prices dropped on Tuesday around the time of the Saudi announcement.

Pompeo was due to land in the Red Sea city of Jiddah, where he was scheduled to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Pompeo will then travel to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday to meet with Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both nations are US allies and have been fighting against the Houthis in Yemen since March 2015.

The Saudi military planned to speak to journalists in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss the investigation into Saturday's attack "and present material evidence and Iranian weapons proving the Iranian regime's involvement." It did not elaborate.

Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that US military experts were in Saudi Arabia working with their counterparts to "do the forensics on the attack" – gleaning evidence that could help build a convincing case for where the weapons originated.

On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron's office announced experts from his nation would be traveling to Saudi Arabia to help the kingdom shed light "on the origin and methods" of the attacks.

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Washington has not had an ambassador in Riyadh since January 2017, a 27-month period in which U.S.-Saudi ties have become increasingly complicated over issues including the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

Trump nominated Abizaid, who led U.S. Central Command during the Iraq war, for the position in November 2018. He was approved by the Senate in April.

"Saudi Arabia and the United States work together every day to protect the security of our two countries, promote prosperity and economic development, and build the people-to-people ties that keep our relationship strong," the statement quoted Abizaid, 68, as saying.

Many in Washington have called for a tougher stance against the Saudis on matters such as the imprisonment and alleged torture of women's rights activists and other dissidents, and the killings of civilians by aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemen war.

But Trump has expressed reluctance to push too hard on Riyadh, citing its multibillion-dollar purchases of U.S. military equipment and investments in U.S. firms, as well as its role as an important regional counterbalance to Iran.

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