Saudi king approves hosting U.S. armed forces

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud has approved hosting U.S. armed forces in the kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported Friday.

A U.S. soldier sits on an armored vehicle behind a sand barrier at a newly installed position near the front line between the U.S-backed Syrian Manbij Military Council and the Turkish-backed fighters, in Manbij, north Syria, April 4, 2018. [File photo: IC]

The move aims to "increase joint cooperation in defense of regional security and stability and to preserve its peace," the report said.

On Friday, the U.S. military said Pentagon has authorized the movement of military personnel and resources to Saudi Arabia to help deter "credible threats."

Citing two defense officials, CNN reported late Wednesday that 500 U.S. troops are expected to be deployed to the Prince Sultan Air Base, located in a desert area east of the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

The troops are part of a U.S. deployment plan that will send 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, the CNN report said.