Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz on Thursday witnessed an exercise by the Ministry of Defense’s Elite Special Forces (ESF) in Northwestern Region.

The exercise commenced with the Royal Anthem upon the Minister’s arrival. The Director of the Joint Special Operations Center then briefed Prince Khalid bin Salman on the Center’s roles and responsibilities.

A key highlight of the event was a visual presentation showcasing the ESF’s advanced technical and organizational capabilities, which embody the Ministry’s vision to develop highly prepared, specialized forces.

Prince Khalid bin Salman reviewed the scenario of the exercise, which built upon previous exercises and focused on the operational deployment of ESF personnel in diverse environments for specialized missions.

The Minister observed the live implementation of the exercise from its main platform. Following the exercise, a commemorative photograph was taken, and the Minister addressed the participants.

The event concluded with the Minister honoring the ESF participants and receiving a commemorative gift, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

In another development, the Royal Saudi Air Force announced it is participating in the Desert Flag 2025 exercise at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a major regional joint air exercise aimed at enhancing combat readiness and operational capabilities through realistic warfare simulations.

Royal Saudi Air Force aircrews flying F-15C aircraft are engaged in a range of training missions, including day and night operations, air support, and combat search and rescue.