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.