Saudi Arabia’s monarch ordered a far-reaching shake-up of its armed forces to strengthen its military amid a drawn-out war in Yemen and efforts to contain Iran’s influence in the Middle East. In a string of decrees issued late Monday, King Salman launched a broad revamp of the Defense Ministry formulated by his powerful son and minister of defense, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The king began the overhaul by replacing several top officers, including the chief of staff and the commanders of the land and air forces, with military officials from a younger generation. The overhauls enhance the power of the 32-year-old prince, who has consolidated political authority and emerged as the most powerful decision maker his country has seen in decades. The defense plan stems from a new national security blueprint and maps changes in the ministry for the next 10 years or more. Yemeni inspect the damage […]

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