US Central Command (CENTCOM) Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla's recent trip to Saudi Arabia served to strengthen the enduring and stable partnership between the kingdom and the United States.

During his January 11-12 visit, the CENTCOM commander met with Chief of General Staff of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and key staff.

The two generals discussed "shared security concerns, their mutual commitment to addressing evolving threats in the region, and the importance of joint readiness through interoperability," CENTCOM said in a statement.

They reaffirmed the importance of deepening bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly through joint military exercises, building interoperability and readiness and capacity-building programs.

Kurilla also met with Chief of Staff of the Yemeni Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Saghir Hamood Bin Aziz, who traveled from Yemen for the visit.

The two discussed strategies to enhance the operational capabilities of Yemen’s armed forces as well as efforts to strengthen security cooperation and combat regional threats.

Such threats include the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen and their attacks against military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.

A committed partner

Kurilla's meeting underscored the enduring and stable partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United States, which has been a cornerstone of security and prosperity in the Middle East for decades.

This strategic relationship, rooted in shared interests, continues to thrive through a collective focus on regional peace, security and extensive bilateral military cooperation.

The US-Saudi military relationship dates back to World War II, when diplomatic relations were established against the backdrop of war in Europe and Asia.

The partnership deepened over the decades, as the United States worked with Saudi Arabia and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council to foster security cooperation on a range of issues.

These include border security, maritime security, arms transfers, cyber security and counterterrorism.

The two nations regularly take part in bilateral and multilateral military training exercises, including major drills such as Red Flag, Eagle Resolve and Red Sands.

The United States has remained a committed security partner, helping Saudi Arabia foil numerous terrorist attacks and collaborating on key international security efforts, including against the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).

The kingdom buys almost 80% of its arms from the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

More than 2,000 US military personnel are deployed in Saudi Arabia to implement defense and security cooperation programs and to counter and deter Iranian threats, per a March 2024 Congressional Research Service report.