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Pentagon reaffirms US commitment to strong military ties with Saudi Arabia
The US reassured Saudi Arabia of its commitment to strong military ties with the Kingdom, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
The Pentagon’s top policy chief made the comments during a call with Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Abdulrahman bin Ayyaf al-Muqrin.
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“Under Secretary Baker congratulated her counterpart on his recent appointment and reaffirmed the US commitment to a strong defense partnership with Saudi Arabia,” Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Martin Meiners said in a statement.
The two officials also underscored the endurance and importance of the US-Saudi strategic partnership, which spans more than 80 years, according to Lt. Col. Meiners.
Earlier this year, the US and Saudi Arabia completed their first joint counter-drone exercise at a new military testing center in Riyadh.
And in late May, the two militaries held a joint drill in Saudi Arabia. Eagle Resolve 23 was designed to strengthen collective US-Saudi and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partner nations’ readiness as well as improve the interoperability of the forces, contributing to regional stability.
For the first time, that multi-domain exercise focused primarily on integrated air and missile defense and maritime interdiction, the Pentagon said.
On Tuesday, the Saudi Navy was alongside newly deployed US battleships in the Red Sea.
Yesterday, 🇺🇸 amphibious ships USS Bataan (LHD 5) & USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) operated in the Red Sea with 🇸🇦 HMS Taif (708), demonstrating the strong partnership between U.S. 5th Fleet & the Royal Saudi Navy. @USNavy trains & sails across the Middle East with regional partners. pic.twitter.com/tUi9pxol7r
— U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) August 9, 2023
Over 3,000 American troops and guided missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East on Sunday in response to Iranian and Russian threats in recent months, in what was part of a pre-announced deployment.
Read more: Top US military general for Middle East aboard battleship in Strait of Hormuz