The Hill News

Vice President Joe Biden will lead a delegation to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to offer condolences following the death of the crown prince, the White House announced Tuesday.

The delegation includes Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Gen. David Patraeus, director of the CIA, as well as Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, U.S. Central Command Commander James Mattis, Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith.

Prince Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, who was King Abdullah’s heir and also minister of defense, died of colon cancer in New York on Saturday. His funeral was in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is expected to name a new heir following the death of the prince, which could lead to a wider reshuffle in the leadership of the world's top oil exporter.