Saudi Arabia secretly carried out multiple strikes against Iran, so reports Reuters, citing Western officials and Iranian sources. Information about these attacks had not previously been made public.
According to the agency, the strikes were carried out in late March in response to Iranian attacks on facilities located on Saudi territory. Reuters was unable to determine which specific targets inside Iran were hit. A senior Saudi Foreign Ministry official deflected the agency’s direct questions, while Iranian authorities declined to comment.
The day before, The Wall Street Journal had reported that the United Arab Emirates Air Force had also conducted strikes against Iran. Reuters notes a fundamental difference between the two monarchies’ positions: while the UAE had consistently advocated the use of force from the very start of the US and Israeli war against Iran, Saudi Arabia had taken a different approach, seeking to end the conflict through diplomatic means. Nevertheless, according to the report, it ultimately resorted to military strikes as well.
The revelation of both monarchies’ direct involvement in combat operations, Reuters notes, changes the understanding of how deeply the Gulf states have been drawn into the conflict.
The agency also reports that in early April, the intensity of Iranian attacks, both missile and drone strikes, against Saudi territory dropped significantly compared to March.
The US and Israeli war against Iran began on February 28. Iran responded by striking Washington’s allies in the Persian Gulf and blocking shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a sharp rise in global energy prices. A temporary ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States has been in effect since early April, though shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has still not returned to normal.
