Saudi Navy Launches Missiles in Naseem al-Bahr Maneuvers

 Part of the navy operations in the Naseem al-Bahr military maneuvers in Pakistan (Photo: Saudi Ministry of Defense).
Part of the navy operations in the Naseem al-Bahr military maneuvers in Pakistan (Photo: Saudi Ministry of Defense).
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Saudi Navy Launches Missiles in Naseem al-Bahr Maneuvers

 Part of the navy operations in the Naseem al-Bahr military maneuvers in Pakistan (Photo: Saudi Ministry of Defense).
Part of the navy operations in the Naseem al-Bahr military maneuvers in Pakistan (Photo: Saudi Ministry of Defense).

The Saudi Naval and Air Forces launched missiles at naval targets in the area of operations of the Naseem al-Bahr maneuvers in Pakistan.

The joint military drills were held in the presence of Lieutenant-General Fahd Al-Ghufaili, Commander of the Saudi Naval Forces Lieutenant-General Amjad Khan Niazi, and Commander of the Pakistani Naval Forces, Nawaf Al-Maliki, in addition to Riyadh Ambassador in Islamabad and a number of senior officers of the Saudi armed forces.

Al-Ghufaili said that the 13th edition of the joint Saudi-Pakistani exercise was aimed at raising military readiness, exchanging experiences and enhancing maritime security.

He said that the participation of the Air Force in shooting ammunition was an addition to the exercise to support and enhance the naval strategy to access and secure any maritime area and protect the vital interests of the Kingdom.

For his part, the commander of the 13th Naseem al-Bahr exercise, Rear Admiral Sajer bin Rafid Al-Enezi, said that the firing of the surface-to-surface missiles over the medium and long range and beyond the horizon was carried out professionally and destroyed the set targets.

The Air Force fighters carried out the shooting in an area of ​​operations far from their bases with air systems that enable them to reach long distances, with the aim to support the naval forces units during their operations in the Arabian Sea.



Trump Heads on ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour

Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
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Trump Heads on ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour

Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Monday left for Saudi Arabia on what he called a "historic" tour of the Middle East that will mix urgent diplomacy on Gaza and Iran with huge business deals.

Air Force One took off on a journey that starts in Saudi Arabia and includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- and possibly talks in Türkiye on the Ukraine war.

Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza will hang heavy over the first major tour of Trump's second term -- but in one sign of progress, US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross just as the president boarded his plane.

"It's big news," Trump said at the White House shortly before departing. "He's coming home to his parents, which is really great news. They thought he was dead."

Trump has in recent weeks seemed to cool on his efforts to end the Gaza war -- despite boasting before taking office that he would be able to bring the conflict to a swift end.

Trump said there were "very good things happening" on talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear ambitions -- though he added that Iran "can't have a nuclear weapon."

The US president said that he hoped for more developments on Gaza during his trip to the Gulf, noting that his tour involved "three primary countries" in the region.

Riyadh will host on Wednesday a Gulf-American summit as Trump visits the region.

The summit will bring together the US president with his counterparts from the Arab Gulf.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz sent on Sunday invitations to the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman to attend the summit.