Manama : His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, attended the Bahrain Shield joint military exercise alongside His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The exercise brought together personnel from the Mohammed bin Zayed Squadron, armed forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, units from the Unified Military Command, and participants from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The exercise aims to strengthen joint military action among GCC member states and promote the exchange of expertise.
Upon arrival at the exercise venue, His Majesty was received by Lieutenant General HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor, Royal Guard Commander and Secretary General of the Supreme Defence Council, along with a number of senior officers.
In a speech delivered on the occasion, His Majesty welcomed the participating dignitaries and military delegations to the Kingdom of Bahrain, expressing pride in the enduring bonds that unite the GCC states. His Majesty said Bahrain deeply values the longstanding bonds of its GCC partners and their unwavering support in every circumstance, underlining that the strong solidarity, cohesion, mutual appreciation and shared determination among the GCC states continue to underpin their collective pursuit of progress and prosperity.
His Majesty highlighted the Gulf Cooperation Council’s longstanding success in establishing a leading model of joint action among its member states, noting that the Bahrain Shield exercise represents a practical extension of the Council’s efforts to strengthen collective security and advance defence integration through joint deterrence programmes.
Addressing regional developments, His Majesty expressed regret over Iran’s continued conduct towards the GCC states, describing it as an unjustified escalation that has widened the scope of regional conflict. His Majesty highlighted the importance of the international support and the advanced security and defence coordination between the GCC states and their friends and allies in confronting such aggression, noting that these partnerships broaden the horizons of strategic cooperation while strengthening the region’s resilience and its ability to safeguard the development and civilisational achievements of the GCC countries.
His Majesty also expressed regret that Iran had disregarded the religious bond that should unite the two sides, and had overlooked the profound impact of the Prophet Mohammed’s message on the Persian nation, which enriched its civilisation with spiritual, humanitarian and intellectual depth after ages of misguidance. His Majesty expressed hope that relations would return to the right course by giving precedence to the values of Islamic fraternity, founded on the principles of peaceful coexistence and respect for the obligations of good neighbourliness embodied in the tolerant teachings of Islamic law.
His Majesty expressed great pride in the participation of the King Hamad Brigade of the UAE Armed Forces in the Bahrain Shield exercise, commending its longstanding record of taking the initiative in supporting fellow GCC states and conveying Bahrain’s sincere appreciation for its contribution. His Majesty also praised the outstanding performance, precision and professionalism demonstrated by participants from the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar and the State of Kuwait. His Majesty said the exercise had once again demonstrated that the GCC countries stand united on every front, and that the cohesion of their forces in the field reflects the unity of purpose and shared destiny that bind the peoples of the Gulf.
His Majesty also highlighted the importance of the exercise in developing joint military capabilities, enhancing the operational readiness of the participating forces and strengthening defence cooperation among the armed forces of GCC member states, in a way that contributes to reinforcing security and stability across the region.
His Majesty had earlier welcomed HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum upon his arrival in the Kingdom of Bahrain to attend the Bahrain Shield joint military exercise. The reception was attended by HH Lieutenant General Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor and Royal Guard Commander, and HH Brigadier Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Commander of the Royal Guard Special Operations.
The exercise comes as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen military cooperation and coordination and promote the exchange of expertise among the armed forces of GCC member states.
