US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, have committed to enhancing cooperation to bolster deterrence against Iran. This was confirmed in a statement released by the Pentagon's press service.
According to the statement, the two defense ministers "reviewed US efforts to strengthen security in the Middle East." Austin "reaffirmed the longstanding US commitment to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and emphasized the importance of bilateral defense cooperation for regional stability." Both ministers "pledged to continue close bilateral cooperation to enhance deterrence in the face of shared threats, including those from Iran and the groups it supports."
They also discussed the "need for all parties to contribute to restoring stability and responsible governance in Lebanon." Austin stressed that "the US maintains significant capabilities in the region to assist in the defense of its partners, protect US forces, and deter aggression."
On October 1, Iran launched a massive missile strike on Israel in retaliation for the assassinations of key figures in the leadership of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Iran's elite military forces). Tehran claimed that 90% of the missiles hit their intended targets, but Israel asserted that Iran launched about 180 missiles, most of which were intercepted. The Israeli General Staff promised to respond to the attack, while Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that his country’s retaliatory strikes on Israel would be even more devastating.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on TASS materials