MANAMA — Bahrain has dismissed the claim by Qatari authorities that four fighter jets from the Royal Bahraini Air Force have violated their airspace on Dec. 9, 2020, as irresponsible and baseless, the Bahrain News Agency reported on Friday.

In a statement, Bahrain's foreign ministry said that on Dec. 9, 2020, a military drill involving two F-16 aircraft from the Royal Bahraini Air Force and two from the US took place in the designated military exercise area in the airspace of Saudi Arabia as part of a joint military exercise between the two countries.

Around the end of the exercise and precisely at 3:50 p.m., the four planes headed together toward the skies of Bahrain, crossing the airspace of Saudi Arabia eastward to land at Isa Air Base, the ministry added.

The ministry affirmed that it was the usual exit route from the military drill area toward Bahrain’s airspace and that on their way back, the aircraft have not used the Qatari airspace as the Royal Bahraini Air Force fighters always perform their sorties in a professional manner making sure not to cross the borders of other countries. — SG