Spears of Victory 2026 military exercise begins at eastern province Air Warfare Center

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense announced the start of the Spears of Victory 2026 military exercise at the Air Warfare Center in the Eastern Region. (SPA)
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Updated 21 January 2026
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Spears of Victory 2026 military exercise begins at eastern province Air Warfare Center

  • Spears of Victory 2026, one of the largest air exercises in the region, aims to enhance military partnerships
  • Exercise includes a series of advanced training activities, such as joint and combined tactical operations

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense announced the start of the “Spears of Victory 2026” military exercise at the Air Warfare Center in the Eastern Region, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The exercise is being conducted with the participation of branches of the Saudi Armed Forces, including land, air, naval and air defense forces, in addition to the Ministry of the National Guard, the Presidency of State Security, the Unified Military Command of the Gulf Cooperation Council and military forces from 15 allied and partner countries.

Spears of Victory 2026, one of the largest air exercises in the region, aims to enhance military partnerships, strengthen the exchange of expertise in planning and execution, raise combat readiness and achieve advanced levels of operational coordination and integration among participating forces.

The exercise includes a series of advanced training activities, such as joint and combined tactical operations, specialized academic lectures and operational missions designed to improve the performance of aircrews, technical and support personnel.

It also evaluates modern military tactics, including electronic and cyber warfare, within a multidimensional operational environment that simulates real operational conditions.

Forces participating in the exercise include those from Bahrain, Bangladesh, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkiye, the UK and the US.

Spears of Victory 2026 is being conducted at the Air Warfare Center, one of the most advanced training facilities in the region, supporting the development of combat plans, the assessment of capabilities and the testing and evaluation of systems and weapons.


Saudi Arabia launches initiative to reroute Gulf cargo to Red Sea ports

Updated 13 March 2026
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Saudi Arabia launches initiative to reroute Gulf cargo to Red Sea ports

  • The initiative comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted by the widening conflict in the region
  • Since the US and Israel struck Iran last month, Tehran has moved to restrict passage through the waterway

 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched an initiative to redirect shipping from ports in the Arabian Gulf to its Red Sea ports amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war.

Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser, who also chairs the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), launched the Logistics Corridors Initiative alongside Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority Governor Suhail Abanmi, Mawani President Suliman Al-Mazroua, and other officials, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The initiative will establish dedicated operational corridors to receive containers and cargo redirected from ports in the Kingdom's Eastern Region and other Gulf Cooperation Council states to Jeddah Islamic Port and other Red Sea coast ports.

Al-Jasser said the Kingdom was committed to ensuring supply-chain stability and the smooth flow of goods through global trade routes. Jeddah Islamic Port and other west coast ports, he added, were already playing a key role in accommodating shipments redirected from the east, while also linking Gulf cargo to regional and international markets.

The initiative comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted by the widening conflict in the region. Iran has long threatened to close the strait — the world's most critical oil and gas chokepoint, through which roughly a fifth of global oil supplies pass — in the event of a war.

Since the US and Israel struck Iran last month, Tehran has moved to restrict passage through the waterway, sending freight rates soaring and forcing shipping companies to seek alternative routes.

Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports offer a viable bypass, connecting Gulf cargo to global markets without passing through the strait.