US President Donald Trump arrives aboard Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, March 3, 2017.

:: US President Donald Trump is set to visit Riyadh next week and meet with Saudi officials, as well as 56 Arab and Muslim leaders to discuss combating extremism and cracking down on illicit financing.

According to a senior White House official speaking to Reuters news agency, Trump will discuss how to counter the threat from ISIS militants, the war in Yemen and threats of ballistic missiles and maritime shipping in the Red Sea

Also on the agenda will be a discussion on the Syrian conflict amid recent calls for “de-escalation zones” to provide safe havens for Syrian refugees.

There are also expected to be talks on Iran between Trump and Saudi officials, especially as US Navy commanders have accused Tehran of jeopardizing international navigation by “harassing” warships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States is close to completing a series of arms deals for Saudi Arabia totaling more than $100 billion, the White House official also said, adding that the arms package could end up tripling in a decade to help Saudi Arabia boost its defensive capabilities.