The move comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran in the Gulf that have impacted global oil markets.
Representational image (Photo: IStock)
Amidst soaring tensions in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia has decided to host US troops in a joint move with Washington to boost regional security, its defence ministry said on Friday.
“Based on mutual cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, and their desire to enhance everything that could preserve the security of the region and its stability… King Salman gave his approval to host American forces,” Saudi state agency SPA quoted the defence ministry as saying.
“The decision on hosting US forces aims to increase joint cooperation in defence of regional security and stability and to preserve its peace, ” SPA further said.
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The US Defence Department has confirmed the move in a statement and said “it would deploy troops and resources to Saudi Arabia to provide an additional deterrent in the face of emergent, credible threats”.
The move comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran in the Gulf that have impacted global oil markets.
On Friday, Iran said it had seized a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, but denied Washington’s assertion that the US Navy had downed an Iranian drone nearby earlier this week.
US President Donald Trump said, “We consider Saudi Arabia an important partner in the Middle East and counterweight to the influence of Iran”.
Relations between Washington and Tehran worsened last year when President Donald Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran.
Saudi Arabia has not hosted US forces since 2003 when they withdrew following the end of the war with Iraq.
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