HAFAR AL-BATIN, Saudi Arabia: Smoke and fire billows following an aerial bombardment during the Northern Thunder military exercises in Hafr Al- Batin, 500 kilometers north-east of the Saudi Capital Riyadh. The exercises involve the kingdom and neighboring nations, which officials have described as the region’s biggest drills. — AFP

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, accompanied by a delegation of senior officials, arrived yesterday in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend the closing ceremony of military drills “Ra’ad Al-Shamal” (North Thunder) at King Khaled Military City, in Hafr Al-Baten, northern Saudi Arabia. His Highness the Amir was welcomed upon arrival by Prince Mohammad Bin Naif Bin Abdulaziz Al- Saud, the Crown Prince Prince, the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, and Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Deputy Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier and Defense Minister. His Highness the Amir was accompanied by First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al- Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Khaled Al- Jarrah Al-Sabah, and Chief of Amiri Protocol Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah.

‘Thunder’ in Saudi desert Meanwhile, warplanes roared overhead, tanks rumbled across the desert and smoke filled the sky ywsterday during the final stage of what Saudi Arabia has billed as the region’s biggest-ever military exercises. About 20 nations from the Middle East, Africa and Asia are taking part in the last day of the so-called “Northern Thunder” manoeuvres in the desert north of the kingdom, which began 12 days ago.

Regional leaders including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif joined Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to attend the conclusion, the official Saudi Press Agency said. Taking place near Hafr Al-Batin city in northeastern Saudi Arabia, close to the Kuwaiti and Iraq borders, the maneuvers are the “most important and largest in the region’s history”, according to Saudi authorities.

A twohour mock battle featuring fighter jets, attack helicopters and tanks was among the final events of the exercises, which Saudi Arabia has described as a show of regional unity. Riyadh has adopted a more assertive foreign policy since Salman took the throne early last year following the death of his half-brother king Abdullah.

It is leading a mainly Arab coalition fighting rebels in Yemen, is taking part in US-led air strikes against the Islamic State group and has offered to send special forces to fight IS in Syria. “Northern Thunder” is also taking place after tensions escalated between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and its regional Shiite rival Iran, who back opposing sides in Syria and Yemen. Authorities have released few details of the extent of the exercises. But Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Al-Assiri told reporters this week they were aimed at preparing to tackle the region’s “terrorist menace” and were not directed against Iran.