His Majesty King Hamad, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, attended the Bahrain Shield joint military exercise alongside Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
The exercise brought together personnel from the Mohammed bin Zayed Squadron, armed forces of the GCC member states, units from the Unified Military Command, and participants from Saudi Arabia. The exercise aims to strengthen joint military action among GCC member states and promote the exchange of expertise.
Upon arrival at the exercise venue, His Majesty was received by National Security Adviser, Royal Guard Commander and Supreme Defence Council Secretary General Lieutenant General Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, along with a number of senior officers.
In a speech delivered on the occasion, His Majesty welcomed the participating dignitaries and military delegations to Bahrain, expressing pride in the enduring bonds that unite the GCC states.
His Majesty said Bahrain deeply values the long-standing bonds of its GCC partners and their unwavering support in every circumstance, underlining that the strong solidarity, cohesion, mutual appreciation and shared determination among the GCC states continue to underpin their collective pursuit of progress and prosperity.
The King highlighted the GCC’s long-standing success in establishing a leading model of joint action among its member states, noting that the Bahrain Shield exercise represents a practical extension of the Council’s efforts to strengthen collective security and advance defence integration through joint deterrence programmes.
Addressing regional developments, His Majesty expressed regret over Iran’s continued conduct towards the GCC states, describing it as an unjustified escalation that has widened the scope of regional conflict.
His Majesty highlighted the importance of the international support and the advanced security and defence co-ordination between the GCC states and their friends and allies in confronting such aggression, noting that these partnerships broaden the horizons of strategic co-operation while strengthening the region’s resilience and its ability to safeguard the development and civilisational achievements of the GCC countries.
He also expressed regret that Iran had disregarded the religious bond that should unite the two sides, and had overlooked the profound impact of the Prophet Mohammed’s message on the Persian nation, which enriched its civilisation with spiritual, humanitarian and intellectual depth after ages of misguidance.
His Majesty expressed hope that relations would return to the right course by giving precedence to the values of Islamic fraternity, founded on the principles of peaceful coexistence and respect for the obligations of good neighbourliness embodied in the tolerant teachings of Islamic law.
The King expressed great pride in the participation of the King Hamad Brigade of the UAE Armed Forces in the Bahrain Shield exercise, commending its long-standing record of taking the initiative in supporting fellow GCC states and conveying Bahrain’s sincere appreciation for its contribution.
His Majesty also praised the outstanding performance, precision and professionalism demonstrated by participants from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.
His Majesty said the exercise had once again demonstrated that the GCC countries stand united on every front, and that the cohesion of their forces in the field reflects the unity of purpose and shared destiny that bind the peoples of the Gulf.
He also highlighted the importance of the exercise in developing joint military capabilities, enhancing the operational readiness of the participating forces and strengthening defence co-operation among the armed forces of GCC member states, in a way that contributes to reinforcing security and stability across the region.
His Majesty earlier welcomed Shaikh Hamdan upon his arrival in Bahrain to attend the joint military exercise.
The reception was attended by Lt Gen Shaikh Nasser and Royal Guard Special Operations Commander Brigadier Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
The exercise comes as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen military co-operation and co-ordination and promote the exchange of expertise among the armed forces of GCC member states.
&uuid=(email))