Saudi authorities a denying reports in Israeli media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly flew to Saudi Arabia on Sunday in what would be the first trip by an Israeli premier to the kingdom.

He is reported to have met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the U.

S.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, while America's top diplomat, who's on a farewell tour of the region, has previously helped broker historic deals to normalize ties with two Saudi allies in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain or Saudi leaders have so far resisted calls to normalize relations with Israel aunt have no formal diplomatic relations with the country, so private meeting between the Saudi and Israeli leaders is off major significance.

Publicly, however, Saudi Arabia has said it would stick to the decades old Arab League position of not having ties with Israel until the Jewish state's conflict with the Palestinians is resolved with.

The Saudi government have denied the media reports with the foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, tweeting that no such meeting took place.

Was speaking to me from Riyadh, our chief international correspondent leased to Set, explained where the story was first reported.

It's another Middle East mystery.

It has to be said.

The story first broke, but in aviation tracking data, where a plane spotter noticed what was described as an extremely rare direct flight from the Israeli city off Tel Aviv to the futuristic city of Neon on the northern coast of Saudi Arabia private jet it was said to be have been, ah, private jet that the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has used on other trips are specifically to visit, for example, the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin.

So then the rumors started.

And then this morning, Israeli journalist started saying with off the record sources that this meeting very historic, highly significant, deeply sensitive meeting between the Israeli prime minister and the head of the Israeli intelligence Massad with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.

But in the last few hours, as you just said, there's been a tweet from thes Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhaan, he said.

Regarding these press reports of a meeting that there there was no such meeting, it never occurred.

He said that there were only American and Saudi officials in the room off the record.

Senior Saudi officials are also denying that any meeting took place, that there were any Israelis at that meeting, which involved I was the last stop for the U.

S.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on a 10 day, seven nation tour.

So someone isn't telling the truth.

When prayer Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asked about it, he just talked about broadening the circle of peace.

He wouldn't comment.

But one of the members of his Cabinet theme education minister told an Israeli media earlier in the day, it was an amazing achievement.