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Arabia
Saudi Arabia Says 12 Hurt in Attack Targeting Airport Near Yemen
2022-02-11


The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said Thursday that 12 people were injured by falling debris from an attempted drone attack on an airport in the southern Saudi region of Abha near the kingdom's border with Yemen.

The coalition statement said the people who were hurt included travelers and workers at the airport. Two of the injured were Saudi citizens, four were Bangladeshi residents and three were Nepali residents. There was also one person each from Sri Lanka, the Philippines and India hurt.

Saudi air defenses destroyed the bomb-laden drone that the coalition said was launched by Houthi rebels inside Yemen early Thursday afternoon. Saudi state television and accompanying social media accounts carried video from inside Abha's airport showing operations there running as normal after the incident.

Saudi Arabia has been at war in Yemen since 2015 fighting against Iranian-backed Houthis who overran the capital and ousted the government from power.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden spoke with Saudi King Salman. The White House said the president and king discussed "Iranian-enabled attacks by the Houthis against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia." Biden underscored U.S. commitment in supporting Saudi Arabia in the defense of its people and territory from such attacks, it added.

The war has killed tens of thousands of people, both fighters and civilians, and spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Charity group Oxfam this week said a yearlong battle over the strategic Yemeni city of Marib alone has displaced about 100,000 people. The fighting in Marib led to increased Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent weeks. The UAE is part of the Saudi-led coalition and backs Yemeni militias fighting the Houthis. U.S. officials have scrambled to reassure the Gulf strategic allies of U.S. defensive support.

The U.S. initially backed the Saudi war effort as the coalition tried to drive the Iranian-backed Houthis from the capital, Sanaa, and restore the previous government to power. President Biden, however, has since tried to distance the U.S. military from involvement in Yemen's war, where both sides are accused of human rights abuses.

A Saudi readout of the monarch's call with Biden said King Salman discussed the importance of strengthening mutual security cooperation and cited Saudi support for U.S. efforts in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The White House says Biden briefed the king on ongoing multilateral talks focused on Iran's nuclear program.

King Salman stressed the need to work together to counter the destabilizing activities of Iran's proxies in the region, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

The two also discussed their shared commitment to maintaining balance and stability in oil markets as Brent crude hovers around $90 a barrel.

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Arabia
Saudi King names new commander of Arab Coalition in Yemen
2020-09-02
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued an order assigning the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Mutlaq bin Salem bin Mutlaq Al-Azima, with the task of leading the Arab coalition forces in Yemen.

The following is an overview of the new commander’s resume, via the Saudi Press Agency:

Al-Azima obtained a Bachelor of Military Sciences specializing in armored vehicles from the King Abdulaziz War College, and completed his military education by obtaining a Master’s of Military Sciences from the Command and Staff College of the Armed Forces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, then a fellowship at the Higher War College from the Nasser Higher Military Academy.
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Arabia
Riyadh says ready to balance market with surplus oil
2018-07-04
[PRESSTV] Saudi Arabia says it is ready to use its surplus two million barrels of oil production capacity to even out the global market.

"The kingdom is prepared to utilize its spare production capacity when necessary to deal with any future changes in the levels of supply and demand," said a statement released by the Saudi cabinet after meeting chaired by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The statement noted that Riyadh will coordinate it future measures with other oil producers.

The announcement comes several days after S President Donald Trump claimed that the monarchy has agreed to raising the oil output to take on Iran and Venezuela.

Trump claimed in a tweet that Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had agreed to his call to boost production by "maybe up to 2,000,000 barrels."
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Arabia
Saudi royal urges coup to depose King Salman, protect kingdom from harm
2018-05-23
[PRESSTV] An exiled Saudi prince has called for a coup by his influential uncles to depose King Salman
...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Lord of Most of the Arabians....
 and prevent the current ruling structure led by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
...Crown Prince of Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
 as of 2016....
, from doing more damage to the kingdom.

Prince Khaled bin Farhan, who has been awarded asylum in Germany, made the call on Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz in comments to the Middle East Eye news portal published on Monday.

He asked the duo to use the influence they wield with their fellow royals as well as with the military to bring about the palace coup.

Such a change, bin Farhan asserted, was imperative to salvage the kingdom from Salman’s "irrational, erratic, and stupid" tutelage.

Saudi King Salman appointed bin Salman as the first in line to the throne in a surprise move last June that saw the monarch ousting Crown Prince Muhammed bin Nayef, who had himself replaced Muqrin in 2015.

Calling bin Salman’s meteoric rise to power into question, bin Farhan said, "If King Salman had been in a good state of health, things wouldn’t have reached this stage. When we see public policy in Saudi Arabia, we can see that King Salman is completely absent from the screen or from the political scene in Saudi Arabia."

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Arabia
Saudi king replaces military chiefs in shake-up
2018-02-27
[bbc] Saudi Arabia has sacked its top military commanders, including the chief of staff, in a series of late-night royal decrees.

Saudi King Salman also replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defenses.

The news was published by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), but no reason for the sackings was given.

They come as the war in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting rebels, is nearing the end of its third year.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the defense minister, is believed to be behind various recent shake-ups in the country.

The service of the chief of staff, General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, is among those "terminated", said the SPA.

Various military figures have already been promoted to replace those sacked.

A series of political appointments were announced at the same time, including the rare appointment of a female deputy minister of labor and social development, Tamadar bint Yousef al-Ramah.

Prince Turki bin Talal was appointed new deputy governor of the south-west Asir province. He is the brother of billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who was detained in the anti-corruption drive and released two months later.

Times of Israel has more detailed info
“Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement.


Al-Bunyan was retired after he inaugurated an arms exhibition this week in Riyadh by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state-owned defense company, which has drawn several global defense firms.

“A military transformation is underway in Saudi Arabia,” Theodore Karasik, a senior adviser at the consultancy Gulf States Analytics, told AFP.

Saudi Gazette

RIYADH – Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman appointed Prince Badr Bin Sultan as new emir of Al-Jouf, replacing Prince Fahd Bin Badr.

In a series of royal decrees issued on Monday evening, the King made several key appointments of civil and military officials.

Prince Fahd Bin Badr was appointed adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the rank of minister.

Prince Turki Bin Talal was named deputy emir of Asir and Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Muqrin deputy emir of Hail.

Dr. Tamader Bint Yousef Al-Rammah has been appointed deputy minister of labor and social development.

Lt. Gen. Fayad Al-Ruwaili, deputy chief of staff, has been promoted to general and appointed new chief of staff.

The service of the Chief of Staff Gen. Abdurahman Al-Bunyan was ended on retirement and he was appointed as adviser at the Royal Court.

Prince Faisal Bin Turki has been appointed as adviser at the Royal Court in the rank of minister and Prince Sultan Bin Ahmad as adviser at the Royal Court.

New ministers
Khaled Bayari -assistant minister of defense for executive affairs

Dr. Bandar Al-Mushari -assistant minister of interior for technical affairs

Ahmad Qattan -minister of state for the affairs of African states

Sheikh Saad Al-Saif -deputy minister of justice

Abdullah Abu Thunain -deputy minister of labor and social development

Faisal Al-Ibrahim, deputy minister of economy and planning

Khaled Al-Shunaifi –assistant minister of economy and planning

Muhammad Al-Mohanna new undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior for security affairs, replacing Hamad Al-Khalaf

Deputy Minister of Labor Ahmad Al-Humaidan was relieved

Deputy Minister of Interior and Member of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al-Salem was relieved of his duties.

Muhammad Al-Mutairi – new secretary general of the Shoura Council

Adnan Al-Humaidan -new president of Jeddah University

Shalaan Bin Rajih Shalaan, deputy public prosecutor

Abdul Aziz Al-Zoum – governor of General Authority for Competition

Mayors
Tariq Al-Faris -Riyadh region

Muhammad Al-Quwaihes –Makkah, replacing Osama Al-Bar

Reshuffle of defense forces command
The King made major reshuffles at the command of the defense forces. These include the following:

Lt. Gen. Muhammad Suhaim, commander of the Air Defense Forces, ordered to retire.

Lt. Gen. Fahd Bin Turki, commander of the Land Forces, relieved of the post and was appointed as commander of the Joint Forces.

Maj. Gen. Mutlaq Al-Azaimie promoted to Lt. Gen. and appointed as deputy chief of staff.

Maj. Gen. Jarallah Al-Olwait promoted to Lt. Gen. and appointed as commander of the Strategic Missiles Force.

Maj. Gen. Fahd Al-Mutair promoted to Lt. Gen. and appointed as commander of the Land Forces.

Maj. Gen. Muzaid Al-Amr promoted to Lt. Gen. and appointed as commander of Air Defense Forces.

Maj. Gen. Turki Bin Bandar promoted to Lt. Gen. and appointed as commander of the Air Forces.

Link


-Lurid Crime Tales-
House Intel Committee Voting Monday 5:00pm to Release Memo…
2018-01-29
Moved to Page 4

[Last Refuge] Well, this is good news. Chairman Devin Nunes, and House Speaker Paul Ryan have had ample time to discuss the larger ramifications to "The Big Ugly".

Late last week Ryan and Nunes traveled together to Saudi Arabia to review the new Saudi Counter-Extremism Intelligence Center *cough* that President Trump, Saudi King Salman, MBS and Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi *cough* opened last year. Obviously Devin Nunes, Paul Ryan and their collective senior staffs would have a lot of time during travel to discuss the intelligence committee memo release.

According to Byron York when the House comes back into session tomorrow, the Intelligence Committee has a meeting scheduled for 5:00pm. Likely that’s when the vote will happen to ’release the memo’.
Link


Iraq
Why some Iraqi Shiites are pushing for distance from Iran
2016-07-16
[ALMONITOR] NAJAF, Iraq -- Iraq’s Shiites are witnessing a political-religious rift in their stance toward Iran whose development can be traced back to 2003. While some express complete loyalty to the Shiite political regime in Tehran, others object to its regional policies, including toward Iraq, and distance from it.

In one example, the predominantly Shiite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) held a military parade July 1 in Basra. They destroyed US and Israeli flags and burned photos of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. The march sparked criticism and anger among some Shiites, because the United States has friendly relations with Iraq and is supporting its security forces in their war against the Islamic State (IS). Also, given the state competition in the region, hostility toward Saudi Arabia is not in Iraq's interest.

In a related development, differing attitudes could be detected surrounding the demonstrations on International Quds Day, July 1, essentially reflecting the debate over whether Iraqi Shiites should be affiliated with Iran or pursue interests and priorities different from those of the Tehran government. At Quds Day protests organized by the PMU faction Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq in Najaf, a religious hub for Shiite clerics, there was no marked presence of clerics. In contrast, in Qom, Najaf’s religious competitor that receives funding from Iran, a remarkable number of clerics attended the annual protest. Jihad al-Asadi, an instructor in the religious seminary at Najaf, told Al-Monitor, "The Najaf seminary does not support any political agenda outside Iraqi national interests."

Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Hezbollah condemns Nilesat’s suspension of Al-Manar
2016-04-07
[Iran Press TV] Leb’s Hezbollah resistance movement has strongly condemned the latest decision by the Egyptian satellite service provider, Nilesat, to stop airing its news channel, Al-Manar.

Hezbollah decried the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday, according to al-Ahed news website.

The movement said the decision is a blatant violation of the freedom of opinion and expression as well as an attempt to "silence the voice of resistance".

Hezbollah also stressed that such unjust measures will not succeed in silencing the voice of the pro-resistance media outlets in Leb and Paleostine.

The movement called on the company to reverse its decision immediately and urged the Egyptian authorities to exert pressure on the satellite operator to restore Al-Manar.

The statement added that the Egyptians know before others that such actions serve the Israeli goals and demands.

Egypt satellite operator drops Hezbollah mouthpiece Al-Manar

[IsraelTimes] Move comes ahead of visit to Cairo by Saudi Arabian king, amid Gulf crackdown on Lebanese Shiite group

A leading Arab satellite operator cut transmission of Hezbollah’s television channel Al-Manar on Wednesday amid soaring tensions between the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group’s backer Iran and Sunni powerhouse Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
"Nilesat informed the [Lebanese] telecommunications ministry of the need to stop transmitting Al-Manar channel through the Nilesat satellite," Leb’s National News Agency reported. "The management of Nilesat said the reason for the request… was that it had violated their agreement by airing programs that provoke sectarian strife and sedition.”

Nilesat did not immediately comment when contacted by AFP at its Cairo headquarters.

The cut came ahead of a planned visit by Saudi King Salman to Egypt, which operates the Nilesat satellite.

Last month, Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia blacklisted Hezbollah, the leading force in Lebanon’s governing bloc, as a “terrorist” organisation. The kingdom halted a $3 billion program of military aid to Lebanon to protest what it said was “the stranglehold of Hezbollah on the state”. It also urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and avoid travelling there.

Al-Manar said on its Arabic Twitter account that it could still be watched via a Russian satellite or online.

The moves against Hezbollah come amid a spike in tensions between its backer Tehran and Riyadh this year after demonstrators stormed the kingdom’s missions in Iran following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shiite cleric. The kingdom cut diplomatic ties with Iran and led Arab allies in a series of retaliatory measures against it. While Saudi Arabia is the main supporter of Syria’s Sunni-led rebels, Hezbollah is fighting alongside President Bashar Assad’s troops, who are backed by Iranian troops officially called “military advisers” by Tehran.
Perhaps this influenced Egyptian sensitivity to Saudi desires:
Egypt to sign final financial agreements with Saudi Arabia worth $22bln
Link


Arabia
Over 85 percent of Yemen liberated
2016-03-04
Riyadh — Yemen’s national army and popular resistance forces have liberated more than 85 percent of the Yemeni territories from Houthi militia control and the forces of the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemeni President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi said in an exclusive interview with the Saudi Gazette and Okaz newspapers.

Hadi also admitted during the exclusive interview with the Saudi newspapers that Yemen would have fallen in four days and would have been an Iranian state had it not been for the Operation Decisive Storm launched by the Arab military coalition under the leadership of Saudi Arabia.

The president expressed confidence that Sanaa, which was taken by the Houthis, would be freed after the liberation of both Taiz and Hudaidah.

Hadi described his relationship with Saudi King Salman as sublime, close and strong and said Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, minister of defense, is providing them with all the necessary facilities and support.
Hadi still hasn't said what he's giving the Saudis in return...
He added there are a number of Iranians and elements of Hezbollah in Yemen providing military training to the Houthis militias.

During the interview, Hadi also revealed that Iranians came to Yemen to build a factory for the manufacture of Grad missiles for the rebels. “The factory’s components were shipped in a container among children’s toys. We discovered from the documents that it was on its way to Saadah, the stronghold of the Houthis,” he said.

The Yemeni president also put aside rumors by denying reports of a serious rifts with his deputy and prime minister Khaled Bahah and said there might be some differences in viewpoints. “The circumstances require that we remain together,” he said.
Link


Arabia
Saudi Prince Not Pleased with Champ's Agreement
2015-07-16
Unexpectedly. Will Champ lecture him like he does the MSM?
Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a former ambassador to Washington, has said in an opinion piece for Elaph newspaper that the United States moved forward with the Iran nuclear deal despite predictions of the situation developing into a North Korean-style scenario.

In a column published by the London-based Arabic news website Elaph, the former chief of intelligence said the nuclear deal "will wreak havoc in the Middle East," a region already plagued by major conflicts.

President Clinton's decision was based on strategic foreign policy analysts, top secret national intelligence, and the desire "to save the people of North Korea from starvation," wrote Prince Bandar, in reference to the 1994 "Agreed Framework" between North Korea and the United States that aimed to freeze the country's nuclear power program.

The agreement finally broke down in 2003 when North Korea announced its withdrawal from the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and later declared it had manufactured nuclear weapons. The country now has as many as 20 nuclear warheads, according to Chinese intelligence.

President Clinton "would not have made that decision" had he known it was based on "a major intelligence failure" and "wrong foreign policy analysis," wrote Prince Bandar, nephew of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
One would hope you are correct, Prince, but when you're building your legacy or trying to get your roommate elected President, sometimes you do weird things.
But "President Obama made his decision to go ahead with the Iran nuclear deal fully aware that the strategic foreign policy analysis, the national intelligence information, and America's allies in the region's intelligence all predict not only the same outcome of the North Korean nuclear deal but worse - with the billions of dollars that Iran will have access to," Prince Bandar stated.
So how long will it take for Champ's deal to unravel?
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