US Defense Secretary heads for Mid East Monday

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will visit Israel and Egypt to discuss regional security in the course of a Middle East tour starting next Monday in Saudi Arabia. In Riyadh, his talks will focus on the Saudi-US security partnership and discussions on the war in Yemen. In Israel, he will meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman. Mattis’ trip will conclude April 23 in Djibouti where Mattis will meet with President Ismail Omar Guelleh