United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III called Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to assisting the Kingdom in defending its borders, the Pentagon Said on Friday.

Austin condemned the recent cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran – backed Houthis and thanked the Crown Prince for the Kingdom’s commitment to a political settlement for Yemen’s six – year conflict, which the United Nations says has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

‘[The Secretary] underscored Saudi Arabia’s role as a pillar of the regional security architecture in the Middle East and the Importance of sharing the responsibility of regional security and stability.  Secretary Austin noted U.S. and Saudi shared commitment to countering Iran’s’ destabilizing activities and defeating violent extremist organizations in the region’, the Pentagon’s statement added.