The head of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Lt. Gen. Admiral Fahad al-Ghofaily, has said that the remarkable presence of suspicious commercial ships and the unjustified breaking down of such vessels in the Red Sea and in international waters is a turning point.
Such situations not only have a military impact but also dangerous repercussions on marine life over possible environmental disasters, said Ghofaily at the conclusion of the Red Waves 2 naval drills.
The exercise, which concluded Thursday, saw the participation of naval forces from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Djibouti, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia. Red Waves 2 also witnessed the participation of Saudi Border Guards along with the backing of the Royal Saudi Air Force under the chairmanship of Chief of the General Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces Fayyad al-Ruwaili.
The Red Sea has not been spared from international, regional and political conflicts because of its strategic significance, said Ghofaily. Unless there is a political consensus to face any hostile intentions that could undermine maritime security, and international navigation, then the Red Sea will continue to suffer from the repercussions of such conflicts.
Ghofaily said that the Sept. 14 attacks on Saudi oil facilities are an irrefutable evidence that some countries and entities back terrorist groups to target the Kingdom’s national security and energy resources.
He stressed that the Gulf’s security is vital for the security of the Red Sea which compels a joint vision for maritime security.
The Red Waves 2 exercise was carried out under the guidelines of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the direct supervision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Recent developments along with attacks on oil tankers, navy vessels and oil facilities in the Gulf and Sea of Oman were the reason behind the formation of an international coalition to protect maritime routes and straits, and secure freedom of navigation, said Ghofaily in his speech at the closing ceremony of the drills.
He stated that the Kingdom was keen to join the coalition because of threats that have a direct impact on the flow of oil and gas, trade routes and national security.
In joining the coalition, Saudi Arabia was also keen on protecting international and regional stability, and combatting terrorism, he added.
