Saudi-US Naval Exercise to Kick Off in Eastern Province

US Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. (C), commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Lt. Gen. Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (R), commander of the Arab coalition forces in Yemen during a visit to a military base in Al-Kharj in central Saudi Arabia. (File/AFP)
US Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. (C), commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Lt. Gen. Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (R), commander of the Arab coalition forces in Yemen during a visit to a military base in Al-Kharj in central Saudi Arabia. (File/AFP)
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Saudi-US Naval Exercise to Kick Off in Eastern Province

US Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. (C), commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Lt. Gen. Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (R), commander of the Arab coalition forces in Yemen during a visit to a military base in Al-Kharj in central Saudi Arabia. (File/AFP)
US Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. (C), commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Lt. Gen. Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (R), commander of the Arab coalition forces in Yemen during a visit to a military base in Al-Kharj in central Saudi Arabia. (File/AFP)

A mixed naval exercise will kick off next week as the Royal Saudi Naval Forces will host the US Navy at King Abdulaziz Naval Base in the Eastern Fleet.

The exercise is an extension of a series of previous joint exercises between the two countries.

It aims to raise combat readiness to maintain freedom of maritime navigation.

The exercise also enhances maritime security in the region and unifies the concepts of naval combat work.



Syrian Foreign Minister in Doha to Meet Senior Qatari Officials

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani speaks during a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (not pictured), after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. (Reuters)
Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani speaks during a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (not pictured), after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. (Reuters)
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Syrian Foreign Minister in Doha to Meet Senior Qatari Officials

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani speaks during a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (not pictured), after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. (Reuters)
Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani speaks during a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (not pictured), after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. (Reuters)

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, appointed by the country's new rulers, arrived in Qatar on Sunday to meet senior Qatari officials, a Qatari official told Reuters.

The officials include Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi.

The Syrian minister's visit to Qatar is his second foreign trip less than a month since Bashar al-Assad was ousted by opposition factions on Dec. 8.

His first foreign visit took to him to Saudi Arabia on Thursday.