Saudi Arabia, US Kick off Military Drill in Gulf

Saudi Arabia and the US kick off a joint naval drill in the Gulf. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and the US kick off a joint naval drill in the Gulf. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, US Kick off Military Drill in Gulf

Saudi Arabia and the US kick off a joint naval drill in the Gulf. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and the US kick off a joint naval drill in the Gulf. (SPA)

The mixed maritime “Nautical Defender 21” exercise between Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the United States Navy kicked off on Thursday at King Abdulaziz Naval Base (KANB) at the Eastern Fleet in Jubail.

The drill, which is being held in Gulf waters, will also see the participation of a British minesweeper.

Commander of the Eastern Fleet Vice Admiral Majed bin Hazza Al-Qahtani will oversee the exercise.

The two-week drill aims to raise combat readiness and expand maritime security cooperation between the two forces, by strengthening maritime security, ensuring protection of territorial waters and exchanging combat experiences.

The exercise is being held amid heightened tensions in the region and threats to marine waterways, underlining the need for coordination between navies in the area.



Missile Debris Kills One in Abu Dhabi as Iran Presses Gulf Attacks

A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)
A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)
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Missile Debris Kills One in Abu Dhabi as Iran Presses Gulf Attacks

A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)
A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)

Falling debris from a missile intercept killed one person on Tuesday in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi and injured two medical staff in Kuwait, authorities said, as Iran pressed its attacks against Gulf countries. 

The Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks in response to US-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also civilian infrastructure. 

Debris fell in the Bani Yas area "following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defenses", the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on X. 

The day before a Palestinian national was killed on the edge of the city when a missile hit his car. 

As well as hitting ports, airports, residential buildings and hotels along with military sites across the region, Iran has also struck energy facilities across the Gulf. 

On the east coast of the country, the oil industrial zone of Fujairah was hit on Tuesday morning, sparking a fire but causing no injuries, local authorities said. 

It was the second day in a row that the site was hit, with a source telling AFP on Monday that oil storage loading had been shut down by an attack. 

In Kuwait, two medical staff were injured when shrapnel fell on an emergency medical center where they were working, the state's health ministry said. 

An AFP journalist heard several explosions in Doha on Tuesday and Qatar's defense ministry said it had intercepted a missile attack. 

Later, the country's civil defense said it was dealing with a minor fire in an industrial area following the interception, with no injuries reported. 

In nearby Dubai, an AFP journalist heard three explosions after a mobile phone alert warned residents of the United Arab Emirates' most populous city to "immediately seek a safe place" because of "potential missile threats". 

Iran has fired more than 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE, more than any other country targeted by Tehran since the start of the war. 

The strikes have upended travel plans in the financial hub, despite its air defense intercepting the vast majority of projectiles. 


Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Stress Importance of Security Coordination, Integration

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)
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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Stress Importance of Security Coordination, Integration

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz held telephone talks on Tuesday with Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah on the importance of continued coordination, cooperation and integration between their countries to bolster security and stability.

They reviewed the current regional developments and their security implications amid Iran’s malicious attacks against Gulf countries and the region.

Prince Abdulaziz stressed Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with Kuwait and support for all the measures it takes to preserve its security and stability.


Saudi, Egyptian FMs Discuss Regional De-Escalation Efforts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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Saudi, Egyptian FMs Discuss Regional De-Escalation Efforts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received in Riyadh on Monday his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty for talks on bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region.

The tackled efforts to de-escalate the tensions to help restore regional security and stability.

They reiterated their condemnation of Iran’s malicious attacks against the Kingdom and several Arab countries.

Earlier, Prince Faisal held telephone talks with United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

They discussed regional developments amid Iran’s unjustified attacks against Gulf countries, as well as means to consolidate security and stability in the Middle East.