Saudi Arabia on Saturday agreed to receive US troops on its territory to bolster joint action to "defend the region's security, stability and peace", a move that comes amid growing tensions with Iran.
The official SPA news agency quoted an official source in the Ministry of Defense as saying that King Salman bin Abdul Aziz had agreed to "receive the Kingdom for US forces to raise the level of joint action in defense of the region's security and stability."
The Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz, a gateway to a third of the world's sea-borne crude, have been on the rise for more than two months on the back of a conflict between Iran and the United States that has strengthened its military presence in the region.
The Saudi announcement came hours after the Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced that it had "confiscated" a British tanker on Friday after violating the "international maritime rules" crossing the Strait of Hormuz, while London warned Iran of the consequences of the move and demanded the immediate release of the detained carrier.
16 years of absence
On August 26, 2003, US officials handed over their Saudi counterparts to Prince Sultan Air Force Base at a farewell ceremony, an official announcement of the end of the US military presence in the kingdom.
That rule played a key role in Washington's regional strategy, sometimes involving more than 60,000 American troops.
After more than 16 years of absence, and in an escalating state of tension with Iran, the announcement of the return of US troops to Saudi Arabia came from Washington first before it was announced from Riyadh.
Earlier, a CNN report said Washington was preparing to send hundreds of troops to Prince Sultan Air Force base, which lies in a desert area east of the Saudi capital Riyadh.
The report says that there are currently a few soldiers on the site to prepare for the reception and operation of battery Patriot defense system, and the development of a runway in preparation for the arrival of fighter bombers.
News of sending US troops to Saudi Arabia comes a day after the House of Representatives voted in favor of three legislation banning the sale of smart bombs to Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the country's human rights abuses and targeting of civilians in the Yemen war.
Relations between Washington and Riyadh have witnessed widespread unrest following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the continued arrest of many activists and activists, in addition to the deteriorating situation in Yemen against the backdrop of the Riyadh-led war there.
Congress adopted a resolution to stop military support for Saudi Arabia, but President Donald Trump vetoed the resolution and pledged to block any decisions that negatively affect the relationship with the Saudi ally.
Defense system
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said on Friday that Lockheed Martin had won a $ 1.48 billion contract to sell Saudi Arabia's Thad missile defense system.
The new contract is a modification of a previous agreement to produce the defense system in favor of Saudi Arabia, she said. The new agreement raises the total value of the Thad deal to $ 5.36 billion, it said.