Egyptian, Saudi warplanes take part in joint war games

CAIRO – Warplanes from allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia have begun joint war games that are coinciding with separate drills between Egypt and both the United States and Russia.

Thursday's announcement by Egypt's official MENA news agency says the Saudi-Egyptian games are being held in Egypt and will last several days. It gave no further details.

Egypt is a member of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Shiite rebels in Yemen, providing warships to patrol Red Sea waters off Yemen's coast.

Egypt on Sunday began 10-day war games with U.S. troops. The games, codenamed "Bright Star," are being held after an 8-year hiatus. Egyptian and Russian airborne units are also involved in war games.

Egypt has spent billions of dollars on new arms purchases as it constructs an image of a regional military power.