As part of an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lieutenant General Saghir Hamoud bin Aziz, Chief of Staff of the Yemeni Army, met with General Michael Eric Kurella, Commander of the US Central Command, during the period from January 11 to 12, 2025.

The meeting came to enhance security cooperation between the two countries and discuss joint efforts to confront regional threats, including attacks launched by the Iranian-backed Houthi group against military and commercial ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.  

During the meeting, the two sides stressed the importance of strengthening the strategic partnership between the United States and Yemen, through building military capabilities and joint training, which contributes to enhancing security and stability in the region.

The two leaders also discussed ways to support Yemeni efforts to enhance its operational capabilities to confront terrorist threats and armed militias.  

General Kurella had held a series of meetings with Saudi military leaders, including General Fayyad bin Hamid Al-Ruwaili, Chief of the General Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces, where the two parties discussed common security concerns, the importance of interoperability, and joint preparedness to confront evolving threats in the region.  

These meetings emphasized the enduring strategic partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which extends for more than eight decades, as the Kingdom is a major partner in maintaining regional security, stability, and peace in the Middle East.  

For his part, Lieutenant General Saghir bin Aziz expressed his appreciation for the continued American support for Yemen, stressing the importance of strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries to confront common challenges.

The two parties also agreed to continue building on this partnership through future engagements and joint training.  

This meeting comes within the framework of American efforts to enhance security and stability in the region, and to support regional partners in confronting threats to international navigation and regional security.