Saudi Arabia, US hold joint naval exercises weeks after Biden visit

Saudi Arabia and the US announced on Tuesday the beginning of joint military drills off the kingdom's western coast.

Service personnel from both the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the US Navy arrived at the Red Sea port of Yanbu in preparation for the manoeuvres, dubbed 'Native Fury 22', according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

القوات البحرية الملكية السعودية و نظيرتها الأمريكية تتشاركان في تمرين "الغضب العارم 22". pic.twitter.com/SBETDaMHnd

— الموجز السعودي (@saudistuff) August 9, 2022

The exercises, which started on Tuesday, will last for several days, SPA said, adding they aim to strengthen the partnership and cooperation between the two countries.

A statement from the US Marine Corps Forces Central Command said the exercises were a "demonstration of the rapid offload and integration of a Maritime Pre-Positioned Force".

🇺🇸USMARCENT begins Native Fury 22 in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia🇸🇦https://t.co/AFqaeMc6vK

— Marine Corps Forces Central Command (@USMARCENT) August 9, 2022

They come weeks after US President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia as part of a Middle East tour last month, which also included Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Relations between Washington and Riyadh have been shaky for the past few years over a number of domestic, regional and global issues, including Saudi Arabia's failure to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Since 2015, the US has provided critical support to Saudi Arabia in its war against Yemen's Houthi rebels, although Biden had previously pledged to review this.