with China in 1988 to obtain between fifty and sixty nuclear-payload-capable CSS-2 intermediate-range ballistic missiles. One commentator asserted, "The Chinese in essence hoodwinked the Saudis into buying an antique missile system worthless without its nuclear warhead." After this interaction, there is no more documented evidence of similar transactions. However, there is speculation that China-Saudi strategic military cooperation has continued to grow. Experts believe that China has based more than one thousand of its military advisers at Saudi missile installations. Press reports indicate that China has offered Saudi Arabia the opportunity to purchase modern missile systems. (i.e. 373-mile range CSS-6, 1,118-mile range CSS-5 solid-fueled missiles, 3,418-mile range CSS-2 intercontinental ballistic missile.) China is one of the few countries supplying this type of technology and as such is capable of demanding a cash transaction. Saudi Arabia publicly displayed them for the first time in 2014. In January 2014, Newsweek revealed that Saudi Arabia had secretly bought a number of CSS-5 medium-range ballistic missiles in 2007. They also said that the American CIA had allowed the deal to go through as long as the missiles were modified to not be able to carry nuclear warheads. After the gulf war, the Saudis and the CIA worked together to covertly allow the purchase of Chinese CSS-5s. The CSS-5 is solid-fueled instead of liquid-fueled like the CSS-2, so it takes less time to prepare for launch. It is accurate to 30 meters CEP, allowing it to attack specific targets like compounds or palaces. The Saudis are not known to possess mobile launchers, but may use the same 12 launchers originally bought with the CSS-2s. The number of CSS-5 missiles that were bought is unknown. Newsweek speculates that details of the deal being made public is part of Saudi deterrence against Iran. In Sep 2014, Saudi Arabia purchased CSS-5s ballistic missiles from China to defend Mecca and Medina, said Dr. Anwar Eshki, a retired major general in the Saudi armed forces. Saudi significantly escalated its ballistic missile program with help from China according to US intel. Saudi used the Chinese-made PLZ-45 howitzers and CAIG Wing Loong drones to bomb Houthi rebels during the Military Intervention in Yemen. A license to produce Chinese-made CASC Rainbow (CH) drones was granted to Saudi Arabia in 2017. China and Saudi held first joint naval drills in 2019. In 2021, CNN reported that satellite images indicated that Saudi Arabia was, with Chinese