Saudi Arabia: our planes will remain where they are stationed

Saudi Arabia's deputy minister of defense and aviation prince Khaled Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz yesterday denied the existence of any American pressure against Riyadh to withdraw scores of F-16 jets, positioned in Tabouk base in Saudi Arabia near Eilat, southern Israel.

The Israeli radio said on Wednesday that Israel asked Washington to pressure Saudi Arabia in order to pullout these planes which are considered as constituting "a threat" to Israel's security.

Prince Khaled said that "Washington did not put any pressure on us and we do not accept any pressure from any one, especially in issues relating to our sovereignty."

He added "we do not have F-16 jets, rather F-15 and they are in Tabouk and will continue to be there because it is inside the territories of our homeland."