MANAMA, Aug 18:  Kuwait’s Deputy Army Chief of Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sabah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, met Bahrain Defense Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Theyab bin Saqr Al-Nuaimi on Sunday to discuss strengthening defense cooperation, the Kuwaiti Army said in a statement.

Al-Sabah, leading a high-ranking military delegation, is on an official visit to Bahrain aimed at enhancing coordination with regional and allied partners to promote stability and security.

Talks between the two sides focused on defense cooperation, joint training, and security coordination, the statement said. The Kuwaiti delegation later held discussions at the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters with Vice Admiral George Wikoff, Commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). Talks centered on maritime security, regional stability, and efforts to protect international shipping lanes.

Al-Sabah also visited the headquarters of Combined Task Force 152 (CTF-152), a Gulf-based multinational naval unit under the CMF, where he was briefed by Force Commander Commodore Mohammed Al-Arefi. He praised the task force’s role in safeguarding navigation in the Arabian Gulf and highlighted Kuwait’s assumption of its leadership for the ninth time since the unit’s establishment in 2004, calling it proof of trust in the capability of Kuwait’s naval forces.

The Kuwaiti commander commended the dedication of Kuwait’s maritime personnel and reaffirmed the political and military leadership’s support for enhancing naval readiness. CTF-152, one of the largest international naval partnerships with 38 member nations, is tasked with promoting cooperation and security in Gulf waters.

Kuwait’s Ambassador to Bahrain, Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, hosted a reception in honor of the visiting delegation, which included Naval Forces Commander Rear Admiral Saif Al-Hamlan, Coast Guard Director General Commodore Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah, and other senior officers.