Despite Iran strikes: Saudi Arabia urges de-escalation with Iran

The Saudi Arabia defense minister reportedly met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday to deliver a message from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the war with Iran.

After long resisting open involvement in the conflict that has pitted Iran and its allies against the United States and their partners since February 28, Saudi Arabia appears to have drawn lessons from a new reality: The war is far from over.

It is unclear how the new coalition would differ from a current European Union operation to protect Red Sea shipping, known as Aspides.

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has rocked the Mideast and spread through the region, and President Trump is now weighing what to do next to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extract any concessions from Iran's increasingly hardline leadership.