Saudi Arabia Secretly Struck Iran After Iranian Attacks, Reuters Reports
By The Media Line Staff
Saudi Arabia carried out covert airstrikes inside Iran at the end of March in response to attacks launched against the kingdom during the recent regional war, Reuters reported, citing two Western and two Iranian sources.
These operations are the first known Saudi strikes on Iranian territory.
One source characterized the attacks as “tit-for-tat strikes in response to attacks Saudi Arabia had suffered.”
Reuters reported that the strikes highlighted weaknesses in Saudi Arabia’s defenses despite the kingdom’s close military ties with the United States and decades of reliance on American protection. The report said attacks during the war penetrated the US security “umbrella” protecting the Gulf kingdom.
The sources said Saudi Arabia informed Iran after the operations took place. Reuters reported that intensive diplomatic exchanges followed, along with Saudi warnings of possible additional retaliation. The contacts eventually led to understandings intended to reduce tensions between the two countries. The unofficial deescalation arrangement reportedly took effect about a week before Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire on April 7.
The Saudi operations were disclosed a day after The Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE had also carried out strikes inside Iran during the war. The newspaper said the Emirati operation occurred in early April, around the time President Trump announced a ceasefire, though it did not specify whether it took place before or after the announcement.
Saudi Arabia pursued a different strategy from the United Arab Emirates during the conflict, Reuters reported. While Riyadh sought to avoid further escalation and maintained communication with Iranian officials, including through Iran’s ambassador in Riyadh, the UAE adopted a more hawkish approach aimed at imposing penalties on Tehran.
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