Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke today with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two leaders discussed the recent Houthi attacks against the UAE that caused civilian casualties and also threatened U.S. and Emirati armed forces stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base. The Secretary reiterated his strong condemnation of these attacks, and his commitment to U.S.-UAE strategic partnership.
The Secretary reviewed a range of actions the Department of Defense is taking to support the UAE. These include continuing to provide early warning intelligence, collaborating on air defense, and sending the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Cole to partner with the UAE Navy before making a port call in Abu Dhabi. The Secretary also informed the Crown Prince of his decision to deploy 5th Generation Fighter aircraft to assist the UAE against the current threat and as a clear signal that the United States stands with the UAE as a long-standing strategic partner.
