China, Iran and Russia conducted joint naval drills Tuesday in the Middle East, offering a show of force in a region still uneasy over Tehran's rapidly expanding nuclear program and as Yemen's Houthi rebels threaten new attacks on ships.

For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org Iranian Navy Deputy Operations Commander Admiral Mustafa Tajaldini described the primary goal of the exercise as strengthening naval cooperation and securing major maritime routes.

Warships from Iran, China and Russia kicked off their annual joint exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, in a show of strengthening military ties as US President Donald Trump upends longstanding Western alliances.