washington u.s. secretary state rex tillerson ask saudi arabia ease blockade yemen two source say days saudi-led military coalition announce wednesday would let aid flow yemeni port hodeidah allow u.n. flight capital clear pressure washington direct cause saudi change heart request tillerson saudi arabia crown prince mohammed bin salman one several u.s. attempt month riyadh soften hawkish foreign policy tillerson ask loosen blockade yemen roughly 45-minute phone call begin week accord source familiar matter speak condition anonymity r.c hammond top adviser tillerson confirm exchange prince mohammed secretary state bring request saudis attention several time past months add trump administration accord u.s. officials european diplomat also press saudis allow lebanese prime minister saad al-hariri return beirut fly riyadh nov.4 abruptly announce resignation efforts take edge saudi arabia foreign policy reflect grow u.s. concern riyadh direction despite high-profile attempt president donald trump improve relations longtime u.s. ally publicly trump top aid senior saudi officials hail say major improvement u.s.-saudi tie compare relations former president barack obama upset saudis seal nuclear deal arch-foe iran privately however u.s. diplomats intelligence analysts express grow dismay riyadh foreign policy especially toward yemen lebanon saudi arabia aim contain iranian influence understand administration frustrate course vary degrees frustration different members administration u.s. senator todd young say situation yemen young republican member senate foreign relations committee speak saudi-led military coalition decision announce wednesday coalition fight houthi rebel say would allow humanitarian aid access hodeidah u. n. flight capital sanaa two weeks blockade country stop flow arm iran yemen civil war bombardment saudi-led coalition face deep humanitarian crisis aid workers warn famine blockade lift senior saudi official tell reuters even tillerson prince mohammed speak recently senior white house officials communicate saudi ambassador washington importance take two step stress importance address humanitarian situation yemen say understand closure temporary work comprehensive aid access plan official say administration official speak condition anonymity confirm white house national security council officials work ease blockade senior saudi officials include prince mohammed young brother khalid saudi ambassador unite state much u.s.-saudi relationship multiple u.s. officials say conduct tight circle lead trump son-in-law senior adviser jar kushner establish direct channel prince mohammed kushner oppose pressure saudis unite arab emirates ease humanitarian suffer yemen say one u.s. official official add way change position jar crown prince evidently share main objective reverse iranian influence yemen elsewhere lebanon u.s. message saudi arabia hariri convey statements tillerson private conversations u.s. saudi officials officials include saudi state minister gulf affairs thamer al-sabhan washington recently senior administration official say encourage ... saudis good lebanon political stability hariri return back beirut soon practical official say last week hariri since return lebanon shelve decision resign prime minister ease crisis deepen tensions middle east top lebanese officials say saudi arabia force hariri quit hold kingdom riyadh hariri deny u.s. press saudis ease yemen blockade source