Donald Trump prevented war between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, by Bel Trew.

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies were planning to launch a military assault on Qatar before President Trump intervened and persuaded them otherwise, it has emerged.

Mr Trump acted amid fears that the diplomatic rift, sparked when Qatar’s neighbours severed ties with the kingdom, accusing it of supporting terror, was about to escalate into a regional war.

Mr Trump intervened after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain had imposed a blockade on the tiny Gulf state, according to Bloomberg.

The four allies closed air and shipping routes and expelled all Qatari nationals, prompting the most serious crisis in the Gulf in decades. …

The US has since gone to lengths to resolve the row, which has threatened to split the region and undermine joint efforts to fight Islamic State. Qatar is home to America’s largest military base in the Middle East.

hat-tip Stephen Neil