Saudi Military Chief of Staff Discusses Joint Work with Greek Counterpart

Fighter jets partaking in the Falcon Eye 1 military drill, SPA
Fighter jets partaking in the Falcon Eye 1 military drill, SPA
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Saudi Military Chief of Staff Discusses Joint Work with Greek Counterpart

Fighter jets partaking in the Falcon Eye 1 military drill, SPA
Fighter jets partaking in the Falcon Eye 1 military drill, SPA

The military Chief of Staff of Saudi Arabia, Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, on Friday met with his Greek counterpart, Lt. Gen. Konstantinos Floros to discuss cooperation and joint work relations between the Kingdom and Greece.

Discussions during the meeting centered around defense, but also tackled issues of common interest.

Al-Ruwaili attended a flight demonstration by combat aircraft taking part in the “Falcon Eye 1” exercises at the Souda Air Force Base in Greece and met with the participants.

Saudi Royal Air Force (RSAF) F-15C aircraft and Hellenic Air Force F-16, Mirage 2000, and F-4 Phantom aircraft performed sorties and implemented training scenarios, including counter-insurgency and air support operations, and the destruction of ground targets.

Al-Ruwaili said that the RSAF’s involvement in the “Falcon Eye 1” exercise in Greece comes as part of King Salman’s eagerness to provide unlimited support for the development of the armed forces.

He said that the goal of the exercise is to exchange military expertise between Saudi Arabia and Greece to strengthen cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries. This will help raise the level of combat readiness for both forces, he added.

The commander of the RSAF group participating in the drill, Col. Pilot Abdulrahman Bin Saeed Al-Shihri, said that the combat readiness and mastery have been shown by the participants of the RSAF, whether pilots or ground crews, is a matter of pride that deserves everyone's praise.

He stressed that this would not have been possible without the support from the wise leadership, whether at the level of training and qualification or at the level of equipping and arming.



UAE 'Probably' Won't Join Gaza Stabilization Force, Says Senior Official

Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash (Reuters)
Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash (Reuters)
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UAE 'Probably' Won't Join Gaza Stabilization Force, Says Senior Official

Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash (Reuters)
Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash (Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates is not planning to join the international stabilization force for Gaza because it lacks a clear framework, a senior official said on Monday.

"The UAE does not yet see a clear framework for the stability force, and under such circumstances will probably not participate in such a force," Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash told the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate forum.

The US-coordinated international force has been seen as likely to include troops from Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, as well as the UAE, reported AFP.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said he expected the force to be in Gaza "very soon", as a fragile ceasefire holds following two years of war.


Source to Asharq Al-Awsat: Jeddah Platform Still Open to Sudan’s Warring Parties

Sudanese refugees participate in an awareness-raising session at the Tine transit camp in Chad on November 8, 2025. (AFP)
Sudanese refugees participate in an awareness-raising session at the Tine transit camp in Chad on November 8, 2025. (AFP)
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Source to Asharq Al-Awsat: Jeddah Platform Still Open to Sudan’s Warring Parties

Sudanese refugees participate in an awareness-raising session at the Tine transit camp in Chad on November 8, 2025. (AFP)
Sudanese refugees participate in an awareness-raising session at the Tine transit camp in Chad on November 8, 2025. (AFP)

A source close to the negotiations carried out by members of the international quartet on Sudan said that efforts are ongoing to reach a ceasefire in the war-torn country. The quartet includes Saudi Arabia, the United States, Egypt and United Arab Emirates.

The quartet is also working on delivering humanitarian aid ahead of launching civilian dialogue aimed at reaching a permanent solution to the conflict.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the source said the quartet is currently proposing a three- to nine-month humanitarian truce during which humanitarian corridors can be opened to deliver aid to those in need. Agricultural production will also resume, allowing civilians to return to normal life.

Throughout this period, the quartet will contact the warring parties to reach an agreement on a permanent ceasefire, revealed the source.

Once reached, intra-civilian Sudanese dialogue will be held to agree on a constitution for the country and mechanisms to establish a parliament and government, as well as the executive agencies that organize the daily lives of the people across Sudan.

The Jeddah Platform still stands and is ready for dialogue with the warring parties, added the source, recalling a Sudanese government statement from a year ago that stressed commitment to it.

The platform was initially agreed to by the warring parties, it stressed.

The quartet is hoping that the parties will positively respond to its efforts, the source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Moreover, it noted the massive efforts carried out by Saudi Arabia, individually and within the quartet, to reach a ceasefire, stemming from its keenness on Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity.

Before and during the war, the Kingdom has worked with all Sudanese parties to persuade them to work on developing their country and steer clear of disputes, culminating in the Jeddah Agreement that was signed in May 2023, it remarked.

Saudi Arabia has maintained three humanitarian programs in Sudan covering food security and medical assistance, as well as helping in protecting infrastructure.

On the crisis in el-Fasher and Darfur, the source said the Kingdom is offering aid through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and international organizations. It is also aiding Sudanese refugees in Chad and South Sudan.


Saudi Navy Leads ‘Red Wave 8’ Drill with Wide Regional Participation

The Red Wave 8 drill kicked off at the King Faisal Naval Base on Sunday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)
The Red Wave 8 drill kicked off at the King Faisal Naval Base on Sunday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)
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Saudi Navy Leads ‘Red Wave 8’ Drill with Wide Regional Participation

The Red Wave 8 drill kicked off at the King Faisal Naval Base on Sunday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)
The Red Wave 8 drill kicked off at the King Faisal Naval Base on Sunday. (Saudi Defense Ministry)

The Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Royal Saudi Air Force and Border Guards launched on Sunday the “Red Wave 8” joint naval exercise at the King Faisal Naval Base in the Western Fleet.

Several armed forces from countries overlooking the Red Sea are taking part in the drill, including Sudan, Djibouti and Mauritania, as well as Pakistan.

The exercise is part of the joint military cooperation between them and efforts to protect vital waterways.

Military leaders from the participating countries attended the launch on Sunday. The drill will conclude on Thursday with field demonstrations that reflect the level of coordination and preparedness of the forces.

Commander of Saudi Arabia's Western Fleet Rear Admiral Mansour bin Saud Al-Juaid told Asharq Al-Awsat that the drill is part of a series of others carried out by the naval forces with the aim of raising combat readiness and developing capabilities.

He said the Red Sea was chosen for the exercise given its strategic depth and economic importance to regional countries.

The Red Sea is among the world’s most vital waterways and securing it is an Arab and international responsibility, he stressed.

The Red Wave 8 drill includes training in implementing tactical concepts, as well as cyberwarfare and combating attacks by speedboats. Forces will be trained in counter-terrorism; fighting piracy, smuggling and illegal migration; and protecting marine shipping lanes.

Al-Juaid said the Red Wave 8 drill reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to bolstering collective naval security through building joint capacities and unifying efforts in confronting any threats to waterways or vital infrastructure in the Red Sea, all in line with Saudi Vision 2030 that places regional security and marine stability as strategic priorities.