SINGAPORE, March 9 (ANI): Singapore’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that they will deploy a Republic of Singapore Air Force A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft to evacuate Singaporean citizens stranded in the Middle East.
According to the statement, the evacuation flight will depart from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 10.
“In response to the urgent need of Singaporeans in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for assisted departure to Singapore, and given the lack of feasible commercial options in the region, the Singapore government will deploy a Republic of Singapore Air Force A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the assisted departure of Singaporeans from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 10, 2026,” the statement said.
Authorities added that a second evacuation flight from Saudi Arabia is being planned for March 12. The deployment of the MRTT aircraft to Saudi Arabia is intended solely to support the assisted departure operations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will reach out to Singaporeans who have registered their interest in assisted departure from Saudi Arabia and provide further details regarding the evacuation process.
The announcement comes as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has conveyed to Tehran that while it favors a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s conflict with the United States, continued attacks on the kingdom and its energy sector could compel Riyadh to respond in kind, according to four sources familiar with the matter, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday and clearly conveyed Riyadh’s position, the sources said.
Saudi Arabia is open to mediation efforts aimed at de-escalation and a negotiated settlement, the sources quoted the minister as saying. He also emphasized that neither Riyadh nor other Gulf states had allowed the United States to use their airspace or territory to launch airstrikes on Iran, according to The Times of Israel. (ANI)
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