Egypt-Saudi military joint training exercise ends

The Egyptian Armed Forces announced on Sunday evening the conclusion of the joint training exercise with Saudi Arabian troops. Codenamed “Piercing Arrow 2024”, the final phase of the exercise saw soldiers storming an island and a terrorist stronghold, explained Egypt’s Armed Forces Spokesman Colonel Gharib Abdel-Hafez on Facebook.

According to Abdel-Hafez, the exercise has been ongoing throughout November in Egypt’s Southern Military Zone and the operational theatre of the Southern Fleet in the Red Sea. Observers from several allied nations were present.

“The exercise featured a symbolic ‘Friendship Jump’ involving Egyptian and Saudi paratroopers, with ground forces, special operations units, and supporting air forces executing a simulated operation to storm and neutralise a terrorist stronghold, showcasing exceptional precision and skill in both stationary and dynamic live-fire scenarios,” said the Egyptian spokesman.

“Naval and Air Force units collaborated in a coastal island assault simulation. Paratroopers conducted jumps to secure beachhead positions while naval special forces carried out raids along the island’s coastline.”

Other naval activities carried out, added Abdel-Hafez, including search operations, anti-submarine warfare drills, and live artillery fire against surface targets.”

The final phase of the training was attended by Lieutenant General Fahd Bin Saud Al-Juhani, Chief of Staff of the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF); Major General Waleed Hammouda Awad, Assistant Minister of Defence and Commander of Egypt’s Southern Military Zone; and senior military officers from Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

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