Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman approved hosting US forces in the Kingdom to boost regional security and stability, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
The ministry tweeted that Saudi Arabia and the United States are "strengthen(ing) their longstanding partnership in (the) face of regional threats."
In Washington, the US Defence Department confirmed the move in a statement, saying it would deploy troops and resources to Saudi Arabia to “provide an additional deterrent” in the face of “emergent, credible threats", reported Arab News.
The gesture comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran in the Gulf that have impacted global oil markets.