Obama, Saudi king discuss Islamic State threat

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday called Saudi King Abdullah about his plan to fight the Islamic militants, just a few hours before he addresses the American public and the world on the Islamic State threat.

In their phone conversation, the two leaders discussed "their shared concerns" about the threat and agreed on the need for " increased training and equipping" of the moderate Syrian opposition, the White House said in a statement.

In his prime-time speech on Wednesday evening, Obama will map out a "comprehensive strategy" to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the Islamic State, a White House official said earlier in the day.

The militant group announced the establishment of a caliphate in late June in areas under its control in both Syria and Iraq, and has beheaded two American journalists.

U.S. warplanes have bombed its targets in northern Iraq since Aug. 8, and Obama approved surveillance flights over Syria in late August.

Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in the Middle East region overnight to push for Washington's efforts for building a regional coalition, and is scheduled to meet with his counterparts from ten Arab countries and Turkey in the Saudi city of Jeddah Thursday.