Washington, United States – Web Desk: A US newspaper has reported that Saudi Arabia’s refusal to allow its airspace to be used for “Project Freedom” allegedly forced former US President Donald Trump to halt the operation.
According to the report, Trump attempted to persuade Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman via a phone call, but the effort was unsuccessful.
The report claims that following a lack of timely communication regarding “Project Freedom,” Saudi Arabia expressed anger and restricted US military access to a base in Riyadh. It also stated that Saudi authorities barred US aircraft from operating flights from the Riyadh military facility.
As a result, Trump reportedly had to suspend the operation in order to maintain continued US military access to the base.
The report adds that the US facility in Saudi Arabia hosts fighter jets, aerial refuelling tankers, and air defence systems. It further noted that fighter aircraft operations from the base were considered essential to ensure the protection of US naval assets under the project.
Neither Saudi nor US officials have publicly confirmed the details of the report.
