Middle east headlines: Saudi Arabia had secret strkes against Iran

The Middle east news today was somewhat quiet as Pres. Trump met with China’s Xi.

• Saudi Arabia had secretive strikes Iran after Iran attacked the energy facilities and civilian infrastructure – Wall Street Journal

Regarding Isreal and Lebanon talks:

• There is no serious breakthroughs in the peace negotiations
• Lebanon does not have much to offer regarding security issues raised in the negotiations.

Trump departs China on Friday, following a final tea and working lunch with Xi. So there are still a few more hours of meetings to go. The US president heads back to Washington after the meetings.

Regarding China, the Trump and Xi’s talks lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes, with Trump also visiting the Temple of Heaven alongside Xi afterward. Trump was accompanied by a who’s-who of American CEOs including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang.

Trade
The two sides described “overall balanced and positive outcomes” from preparatory trade talks in South Korea led by Treasury Secretary Bessent, with Xi saying “China’s door to opening up will only open wider.” Expected deal announcements included soybeans and aircraft. The Pres. did say that China will purchase 200 Boeing Big Jets but it is unclear as to the whether it was contracted or a Letter of intent. Also the market was looking for a number bigger than that amount.

Iran — The Elephant in the Room
Trump said Xi offered help resolving the Iran war, though Secretary of State Rubio said the US isn’t seeking assistance from Beijing. Both leaders agreed on the importance of fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Taiwan — Xi’s Warning
Xi warned that Taiwan is “the most important issue in China-US relations” and could create a “very dangerous situation” if mishandled. Rubio responded that US policy on Taiwan is “unchanged.

The Broader Tone
Xi hailed the US-China relationship as the world’s most consequential, telling Trump: “We must make it work and never mess it up.”

Meanwhile, the White House informed Tel Aviv that Trump might orders strikes inside Iran. I would suspect all remains quiet until Trump’s plane is “wheel’s up” and on his way back to the US.

This article was written by Greg Michalowski at investinglive.com.