The heir to Saudi Arabia's throne has been awarded a medal by the new director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, who honoured his counter-terrorism work.

Mike Pompeo, making his first overseas tour since being confirmed as spy agency chief in late January, made the presentation to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at a weekend ceremony, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.

Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most prolific executioners, on Tuesday carried out its first death sentence of the year, after more than 150 in 2016.

Egypt's High Administrative Court upheld on Monday a ruling voiding a government agreement to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in a deal that sparked protests.

The government had appealed against a lower court ruling in June that found the controversial border demarcation agreement was illegal.

Spain's King Felipe VI is to meet Sunday with Saudi King Salman, local media said, during an official visit coinciding with talks to sell Spanish warships.

Shelling from Yemen has killed a Saudi soldier on the kingdom's southern border, the interior ministry said Sunday.

Saudi Energy Minister Khaled al-Falih said Thursday he was optimistic about a stabilization of the oil market following an OPEC deal to cut output.

A major contractor on Riyadh's $22.5 billion urban rail and bus system said Monday the project is on track despite Saudi government cuts to infrastructure last year after oil revenues fell.

Saudi Arabia is determined to prevent external "interference" in neighboring war-torn Yemen, King Salman said in an annual address on Thursday.

The White House has blocked the transfer of precision munitions to ally Saudi Arabia, amid anger about the civilian death toll from the kingdom's bombing campaign in Yemen.

"We have made clear that US security cooperation is not a blank check," a senior administration official told AFP, voicing concerns about how Riyadh is prosecuting its war against Iranian-backed Huthi rebels.

A Saudi soldier was killed in a landmine blast near the kingdom's border with Yemen, the interior ministry said on Friday.