Blinken and Bin Salman Meet in Jeddah; U.S. Presents Draft Resolution for 'Immediate Ceasefire' in Gaza to the Security Council

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on a trip to the Middle East, met on Thursday, March 21, in Jeddah with Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and Faisal bin Farhan, the Foreign Minister, to discuss 'the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and efforts to increase aid to Palestinians.' Blinken, who is in the region as part of U.S. diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, stated in Saudi Arabia that the United States has presented a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for an 'immediate ceasefire related to the release of hostages' in the Gaza Strip. Regarding Iran, Blinken told the Saudi media outlet 'Al-Hadath': 'The Iranian government is the main supplier of weapons, intelligence, and technology to the Houthis, and we have asked them to control this group.' In this interview, Blinken emphasized the destructive impact of Houthi actions on global trade and economy, stating: 'I do not think that continued support from the Islamic Republic for Houthi attacks is in Iran's interest, attacks that have been condemned by countries around the world and for which Tehran is recognized as responsible. I hope that the officials of the Islamic Republic will use their influence to end Houthi attacks.' In another part of his conversation with 'Al-Hadath,' Blinken confirmed U.S. pressure on Israeli officials to prevent attacks on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, noting: 'We are heavily engaged in a diplomatic effort to ensure that conflicts do not escalate, as we believe that neither the Israelis, nor Hezbollah leaders, nor even the leaders of the Iranian government want to escalate the conflict, but sometimes an unintended action can widen the flames of war.' Blinken also pointed out the displacement of over a hundred thousand residents from northern Israel and Lebanese residents from the south, emphasizing that they should be able to return to their homes and feel secure, and that we are making continuous efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to reach this goal. After Saudi Arabia, Blinken traveled to Egypt. He is then scheduled to visit Israel on Friday, March 23, to discuss various aspects of the war between Israel and Hamas, including Israel's intention for a large-scale ground operation in the city of Rafah. The Houthis claim to have attacked a ship in the Red Sea and the Israeli port of Eilat. The British Maritime Trade Operations Agency reported an explosion near a commercial ship east of Aden. The Houthis confirmed a meeting with Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Beirut. CENTCOM reported that three ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis caused no damage or casualties. Palestinian sources reported that senior officials from Hamas and the Houthis met to coordinate 'actions against Israel.' The White House told Voice of America that reports about the Houthis being equipped with hypersonic missiles are incorrect. The Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles; CENTCOM stated that there were no damages or casualties.