US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler before heading to Israel as part of efforts to stop the Gaza fighting from spiralling into a regional conflict, AFP reports.

Blinken was expected to discuss Red Sea attacks by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s southern neighbour, during his talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Their private meeting in Al Ula, a historic oasis in western Saudi, is the latest leg of a rapid tour of the region as concerns over the Israel-Hamas fighting continue to mount.