Joe Biden
Joe BidenREUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

White House National Security adviser Jake Sullivan is planning to travel to the Middle East next week, including visits to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, Axios reported.

According to the report, the visit, which would be Sullivan's first to the region since taking office, is significant in that all 3 countries, known as longtime US allies, have "faced some early tensions with Biden."

Biden had vowed while on the campaign trail to make Saudi Arabia "the pariah that they are." Sullivan would be the most senior Biden administration official to visit Saudi Arabia.

The US also faces tensions with Egypt after the State Dept. froze $130 million in annual military aid over President al-Sisi's human rights record.

The report cited one source as noting that discussions were ongoing to see if Sullivan's schedule would allow for a visit with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Israel after Bennett returns from the UN General Assembly.