The Eastern Region Command in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, has successfully conducted the Saudi-American joint military exercise “Shield of Prevention 4”.
This drill saw the participation of various branches of the Saudi Armed Forces and the U.S. Central Command, along with several civilian and military government entities.
According to Colonel Turki bin Salem Al-Samiri, the commander of the mixed battalion involved in the exercise, the primary aim of “Shield of Prevention 4” is to enhance the capabilities of the participants in dealing with threats from weapons of mass destruction.
It also focuses on standardizing concepts, procedures, and essential skills, and raising awareness of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear dangers.
Colonel Al-Samiri, in a statement reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), noted that the participating units conducted field training exercises to test the readiness and response plans related to weapons of mass destruction.
These exercises also measured the effectiveness of communication and information exchange during the execution of the drill and coordinated joint response activities among the involved agencies.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are finalising an agreement for US security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance.
“We’re very close to reaching an agreement” on the US-Saudi portion of the package, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday, predicting that details could be ironed out “in very short order”.
