CENTCOM says US will keep long-term ties with Saudi Arabia

DOHA — The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it will keep a strong, long-term relationship with Saudi Arabia, according to a post on Telegram by the Arabic-language channel of Al Jazeera on 20 October 2026.

The post said a CENTCOM spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the United States is "clear" that it will maintain a strong and long-term relationship with Saudi Arabia. The post carried the statement as a short breaking-news item. It did not include further remarks, a full transcript or any details of the military or diplomatic measures that the statement may refer to.

The source material does not say when the spokesperson made the remarks, whether they were given by telephone or in writing, or what prompted them. It also does not say whether CENTCOM issued a separate written statement. Al Jazeera's own published report was not among the material reviewed, so the wording of the quotation could not be checked against a full article.

Only one source reported the statement. The Telegram post is an unverified social media post, and no official CENTCOM statement, Saudi government response or other news outlet report was available at the time of writing. Details of the scope of the relationship, including any defence agreements, troop deployments or changes in policy, are not known.

Background

US Central Command is one of the US military's regional commands. Its area of responsibility covers the Middle East, parts of Central Asia and the Gulf region, and it works with partner governments on security issues. Saudi Arabia is a long-standing US partner in the Gulf, and the two countries have cooperated on defence and energy for decades.

The source material provides no further context on recent events that may have prompted the statement. Readers should treat the account as a single, unconfirmed report until CENTCOM or the Saudi government publishes an official statement or another news organisation confirms the remarks.