Saudi Arabia’s King Salman approves US military deployment
Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman have approved the deployment of additional US troops and equipment,
after an attack last month on the Kingdom's oil facilities, state news agency
SPA reported on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia said the additional reinforcements in
US troops and equipment was part of joint efforts between Washington and Riyadh
to maintain regional security, SPA reported citing a defense ministry source.
“An official source at the Ministry of Defense
stated that, in accordance with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques, the Supreme Commander of all military forces and His Highness the
Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, based on the
historical relations and the established partnership between Saudi Arabia and
the United States, it was decided to receive additional reinforcements of
troops and equipment,” the statement read.
“This defense comes in the framework of joint work
between the Kingdom and the United States to safeguard regional security and
face any attempts to threaten stability in the region, and the global economy,”
the statement added.
The United States announced the deployment of
additional American military forces to Saudi Arabia on Friday to bolster the
kingdom's defenses after the September 14 attack on its oil facilities, which
Washington and Riyadh have blamed on Iran.
The large deployment includes fighter squadrons, an
air expeditionary wing and air defense personnel, the Pentagon said. Together
with the 200 forces to Saudi Arabia announced last month, the deployment
totaled about 3,000 troops, it said.
