Commander of Saudi Arabia’s Air Defense Forces met with the deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command in Riyadh.

The commander of Saudi Arabia’s Air Defense Forces met with the deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command in Riyadh.

Based on a statement by the Saudi Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Mazid bin Suleiman Al-Umru and Lieutenant General Patrick Frank discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the two sides.

This is the second meeting between Saudi and U.S. Centcom military officials in recent days.

On July 15, Lieutenant General Fayadh Al-Ruwaili, president of the Saudi Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, had discussed expanding military cooperation with the same American official. The Saudi Ministry of Defense did not publish further details about the areas of cooperation.

The meetings take place amid intensifying regional tensions and renewed confrontation between the United States and the Islamic Republic. Saudi air defenses have recently intercepted ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi group toward areas in the southern part of the country.