Morocco and Saudi Arabia strengthen defense ties amid rising regional tensions

Tuesday 29 September 2026 - 10:30

Morocco and Saudi Arabia have stepped up high-level defense consultations following a strong expression of solidarity from King Mohammed VI toward Riyadh as the kingdom faces repeated attacks attributed to the Houthi movement.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held a telephone conversation on Monday, September 28, with Abdellatif Loudiyi, Morocco’s minister delegate to the head of government in charge of National Defense Administration. The two officials discussed ways to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation and reviewed joint efforts aimed at supporting security and stability in the region.

The exchange came shortly after King Mohammed VI sent two messages to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on September 26. In the messages, the Moroccan monarch condemned what Morocco described as repeated Houthi attacks against Saudi territory, including strikes affecting civilian and economic facilities, vital infrastructure and populated areas.

Rabat reaffirms its solidarity with Riyadh

The Moroccan position went beyond a conventional expression of diplomatic support. King Mohammed VI stressed the strategic and security links connecting Morocco with Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region, arguing that the stability of the Gulf states is closely tied to Morocco's own strategic interests.

The royal messages also highlighted reports of attempts to threaten Makkah and Madinah, giving the latest escalation a broader religious and international dimension. The Moroccan sovereign said such attacks affect not only Saudi Arabia but also Muslims around the world.

Against this backdrop, the conversation between Khalid bin Salman and Abdellatif Loudiyi provides a defense-focused channel for discussing the evolving regional security environment. No new military agreement or specific operational measure was announced in the public account of the call.

A longstanding military partnership

Defense relations between Rabat and Riyadh have developed through bilateral military arrangements and broader security cooperation. Morocco's participation in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015, including the deployment of F-16 fighter aircraft, marked one of the most visible stages of that relationship.

The current consultations take place in a significantly different regional environment, with Saudi Arabia facing renewed security pressures linked to the conflict in Yemen and wider tensions involving Iran, the Red Sea and Gulf security. Recent regional developments have also prompted Saudi Arabia to strengthen military coordination with several international and regional partners.

For Rabat and Riyadh, the latest exchange therefore places defense cooperation within a wider strategic framework involving territorial security, regional stability and the protection of critical infrastructure and maritime routes.

The telephone call also illustrates how the political message issued by King Mohammed VI has been followed by direct institutional engagement between the two countries' defense authorities. While the publicly announced discussions remain broad, they underline the continued importance both governments attach to their security partnership at a time of heightened regional uncertainty.