Saudi Crown Prince Departs to United States

President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, gesture as they meet delegations at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (AP)
President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, gesture as they meet delegations at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (AP)
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Saudi Crown Prince Departs to United States

President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, gesture as they meet delegations at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (AP)
President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, gesture as they meet delegations at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (AP)

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, departed on Monday to the United States on an official visit.

In a statement, the Royal Court said he is making the visit at the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and in response to the invitation extended to the Crown Prince by US President Donald Trump

During the visit, the Crown Prince will meet with the US President to discuss bilateral relations and ways to boost them across various fields, as well as issues of common interest.

The leaders are expected to elevate bilateral ties between their countries to broader horizons and tackle regional crises they are keen on resolving through peaceful means.

Trump had visited Saudi Arabia in May on his first official visit since being reelected. 

Saudi political analyst Moneef Ammash Al-Harbi told Asharq Al-Awsat that he expected political issues to top the Crown Prince’s Washington agenda.

Talks will focus on several issues in the Middle East, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the ceasefire in Gaza, supporting stability in Syria and the situations in Lebanon, Yemen and Sudan, he added.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Trump will also tackle deepening the strategic partnership between Riyadh and Washington, he went on to say. 

Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit day at the White House on Tuesday will begin with an arrival ceremony on the sweeping South Lawn and a subsequent greeting on the South Portico, revealed a senior White House official on Friday. 

Then Trump will host him in the Oval Office for a bilateral meeting, followed by a signing and lunch in the Cabinet Room. 

Later in the evening, the White House will hold an East Room dinner hosted and planned by first lady Melania Trump. 

 



New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
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New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)

A new humanitarian aid convoy from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) crossed the Rafah border into Gaza on Friday with essential food baskets for Palestinians affected by the ongoing crisis, as part of the Saudi fundraising campaign to aid the Palestinian people.

The Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, KSrelief’s implementing partner, has established several new camps in Al-Qarara area of southern Gaza and Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in preparation for winter.

Through these efforts, KSrelief aims to alleviate the severe suffering caused by the dire living conditions in Gaza, ensuring that vital food and shelter reach those in the most vulnerable areas.


Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
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Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)

The joint military "Gulf Shield Exercise 2026" concluded in Saudi Arabia on Friday, with the participation of the air forces and air-defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, alongside the GCC Unified Military Command, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exercise was conducted as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional defense cooperation and enhance combat readiness.

Its maneuvers included advanced operational scenarios featuring simulations of multidimensional air and missile threats, joint air maneuvers, and integrated field exercises, with a focus on improving operational integration, strengthening command-and-control systems, and enhancing operational efficiency within a joint operational environment.
The exercise seeks to develop qualitative military capabilities, bolster combat readiness to confront current, emerging, and future threats, and entrench the concepts of collective defense and flexible deterrence, thereby contributing to the region's security and stability.

Gulf Shield Exercise 2026 is regarded as one of the key pillars of military cooperation among GCC countries, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance defense integration and strengthen the capacity to respond to regional and international challenges.

At the conclusion of the exercise, the participating forces carried out a joint aerial display that demonstrated a high level of harmony and operational integration, as well as their ability to plan and execute in accordance with unified operational concepts and advanced professional standards.


Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed on Saturday the Kingdom’s deep regret over the damage sustained by the Qatari Embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as a result of recent shelling.

The ministry stressed the need to protect diplomatic missions and their personnel in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The ministry reiterated the Kingdom's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through peaceful means.