By Yousef Saba, Gram Slattery, Pesha Magid and Nafisa Eltahir RIYADH (Reuters) -President Donald Trump kicked off his trip to the Gulf on Tuesday with a surprise announcement that the United States will lift long-standing sanctions on Syria,

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump called on Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel during a speech to the oil-rich kingdom’s leaders on Tuesday — saying “you’ll be greatly honoring me” by doing so. Trump frequently referred to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by name during his speech as the country’s de facto ruler watched from the front row.

President Donald Trump in a speech in Saudi Arabia has urged Iran to take a “new and a better path” as he pushes for new nuclear deal.

Day one of the trip saw the two sides announce a $142bn (£107bn) arms deal, as well as a raft of other investments that Saudi Arabia's crown prince said could eventually be worth $1tn. Trump also made Saudi Arabia the first foreign stop during his first term, in 2017. The rest of his gulf tour will include stops in Qatar and the UAE.

President Trump arrived here to begin a four-day Middle East visit that put the cold calculus of “America First” on full display: Invest great sums of cash into the U.S. economy and get a more engaged Washington in return.

In Riyadh, US president focuses on business, shifting from Biden’s policy that prioritised Saudi Arabian-Israeli ties.

President Trump kicked off a four-day Middle East trip on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, putting the focus on sealing economic agreements with a key Mideast ally.

As President Trump visits Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, Yemen’s Houthi leaders issue a stark warning to Gulf states against aligning with Washington. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi called on Arab leaders to stand with Palestine and remember America's history of abandoning allies like the Shah of Iran.