The Royal Saudi Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, a multinational maritime task force in the Gulf region at a time of heightened tension between Iran and Israel.
The change of command between Saudi Arabia and New Zealand this week was presided over by US Navy Vice Admiral George Wikoff, commander of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in Bahrain.
CTF 150 was established in February 2002 and is one of five operational task forces under the CMF. It conducts maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf against threats from non-state actors.
CMF, headquartered in Bahrain with US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 46 navies.
“This mission carries great responsibility,” Royal Saudi Navy Commodore Fahad S. Al Joaid said during the handover ceremony. “We will build on the achievements of our predecessors and work closely with all CMF partners to safeguard these vital waters together.”
Tension has heightened in the region since the Israel-Iran war in June. It has also been the scene of attacks – in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels against ships.
