US and Gulf Naval Forces staged a joint exercise in the region focused on tracking vessels deemed threatening, the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Force said.

Ships from Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the US took part in the seven-day Exercise Goalkeeper 11-01 in central and southern Gulf waters.

The exercise focused on coordinating coalition security operations at sea, as well as “improving the dissemination of information among regional command centers,” said Combined Task Force 152 Head Colonel Isa Al Doseri.