In a stinging rebuke to the Trump administration's handling of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US Senators voted this week to advance a resolution to withdraw US backing for Riyadh's military role in Yemen's civil war. The move goes against calls from the White House to protect the US-Saudi alliance. Our correspondent Kevin McAleese reports.

KEVIN MCALEESE WASHINGTON "This was a rare and convincing bipartisan vote as members of President Trump's Republican party sided with Democrats to advance the legislation."

The push ran counter to the stance taken by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis, who attempted to shield US-Saudi ties on Wednesday, holding a closed-door briefing for senators ahead of the vote. All this, the continuing fallout over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. In recent weeks, the U.S. has suspended refueling Saudi warplanes and urged both sides in Yemen's civil war to negotiate an end to the conflict, though many lawmakers view the moves as insufficient.

The Trump administration is keen to continue Washington's support for Riyadh's military campaign and has downplayed reports that even the CIA has concluded that the de facto Saudi Leader, Mohammad bin Salman, ordered Khashoggi's death.

The U.S. president has also said he wants to respect a pending, lucrative arms deals with the Saudi kingdom, worth 110 billion dollars over the next decade.

The resolution to pull U.S. support for Riyadh in Yemen is still subject to more congressional scrutiny next week --- and its final passage is uncertain. The White House, meanwhile, has said President Trump is prepared to veto the measure if necessary.

Kevin McAleese, CGTN, Washington.