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Saudi Arabia Welcomes STL Verdict against Terrorist Hezbollah Agents

A statue of Lebanon's assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri is seen near the site of the suicide truck bombing that killed him in 2005, in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)
A statue of Lebanon's assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri is seen near the site of the suicide truck bombing that killed him in 2005, in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes STL Verdict against Terrorist Hezbollah Agents

A statue of Lebanon's assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri is seen near the site of the suicide truck bombing that killed him in 2005, in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)
A statue of Lebanon's assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri is seen near the site of the suicide truck bombing that killed him in 2005, in Beirut, Lebanon, August 18, 2020. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday the verdict issued by Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) against agents of the terrorist Hezbollah militia, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

STL appeals judges on Thursday sentenced two Hezbollah members in absentia to life imprisonment for their role in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Saudi Arabia called on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards Lebanon and its fraternal people, who are suffering from the reckless terrorist practices of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

It urged the international community to implement international resolutions related to Lebanon that would arrest the suspects, who deliberately sought to claim innocent lives, sparking unprecedented upheaval in the fraternal country.

Arresting the suspects would help curb the successive crises that erupted in the country in recent decades due to their terrorist practices, it added.

The suspects remain at large.

Hariri served as prime minister of Lebanon five times following the 1975-90 civil war. He and 21 others died in a massive truck bomb on Feb. 14, 2005.

"The attack terrorized not only the direct victims but more generally the people of Lebanon," STL presiding judge Ivana Hrdlickova said as she handed down the maximum sentence on Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Hassan Oneissi.

In March this year the appeals chamber reversed an earlier acquittal and found Merhi and Oneissi guilty of terrorism and murder.

In 2020, a lower trial chamber convicted a former member of Hezbollah, Salim Jamil Ayyash, for the bombing that killed the veteran politician and 21 others. Ayyash also received a life sentence in the trial which saw a prosecution case based almost entirely on mobile phone records.

The Lebanon tribunal was created by a 2007 UN Security Council resolution. It is funded by voluntary contributions and by the Lebanese government.

Thursday's ruling concludes the court's main case.

It is expected that the court, which has been plagued by a funding crisis in the past years, will close down with only minimal staffing to handle residual issues.

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Gulf

Erdogan: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Eye Joint Investment in KAAN Fighter Jet

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 
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Erdogan: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Eye Joint Investment in KAAN Fighter Jet

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said work has begun on a defense cooperation agreement between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia that includes joint investment in the production of the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet.

Erdogan said Türkiye’s progress in defense industries is being closely followed by Saudi Arabia, as well as by other countries, adding that Ankara is preparing to conclude significant agreements with Riyadh in this field.

Speaking to a group of Turkish journalists on his return from a regional tour that included Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with his remarks published on Thursday, Erdogan said: “We have received many positive comments on the Turkish fighter KAAN, and discussions are under way on joint investment with Saudi Arabia in this regard.”

He stressed that KAAN is not merely a combat aircraft but a symbol of Türkiye’s engineering capabilities and its determination to maintain an independent defense posture. He added that cooperation with Saudi Arabia in this area is likely to expand, including through joint investments.

In February 2024, Türkiye announced the successful first flight of its domestically produced fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN, manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries. With this milestone, Türkiye became one of only five countries capable of producing fifth-generation fighter aircraft and aims to export the jet.

KAAN is designed to carry out air-to-air combat missions and conduct precision strikes from internal weapons bays at supersonic speed.

Erdogan said he held “highly productive” talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, noting that Saudi Arabia holds a special place for Türkiye in defense industries, transport, healthcare, investment, and construction services. Bilateral trade reached $8 billion in 2025, while Turkish contractors have completed more than 400 projects in the Kingdom worth a total of $30 billion.

He added that Saudi Arabia and Türkiye share aligned views on regional issues, stressing that both countries oppose any new war in the region and favor peace, stability, and calm, which he said would benefit all parties.

 

 

 

 

 

Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince Receives Letter from Maldives President

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Receives Letter from Maldives President

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received a letter from Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on bilateral relations between their countries.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received the letter on Thursday during a meeting with Maldives Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Sareer at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.

Discussions during the meeting addressed bilateral relations and topics of mutual interest.

Gulf

Albudaiwi: 'Arabian Gulf Security 4' Exercise Enhances GCC Security Integration

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
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Albudaiwi: 'Arabian Gulf Security 4' Exercise Enhances GCC Security Integration

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that the "Arabian Gulf Security 4" tactical exercise serves to bolster Gulf security integration and embodies the unity and shared destiny of member states.

The statement was made Wednesday during Albudaiwi’s participation in the closing day of the exercise, held in Qatar. The event was attended by Qatari Interior Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani along with the GCC Ministers of Interior.

"This fourth edition of the drill, conducted by the GCC Ministries of Interior with the participation of specialized units from the friendly United States of America, is of paramount importance in supporting the collective Gulf security framework," the secretary-general said.

He stressed its role in enhancing coordination and integration among the respective ministries and elevating joint readiness and response to security challenges, thereby contributing to the consolidation of security and stability across the GCC.

He further highlighted that the "Arabian Gulf Security 4" exercise reflects a mutual commitment to advancing security operational mechanisms, exchanging expertise and best practices, as well as unifying efforts to counter transnational risks and threats. He pointed out that such maneuvers constitute a fundamental pillar for strengthening institutional integration and security cooperation pathways among member states.

The secretary-general expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Ministry of Interior of Qatar in hosting and organizing the exercise, noting that the extensive resources and capabilities provided were instrumental to its success.

Closing his remarks, he voiced his aspiration that the exercise achieves its strategic objectives, fulfilling the visions of leaders of the GCC states, and ensuring sustained security and stability for the peoples of the GCC.