Saudi Arabia urges US to step up strikes on Iran to 'remake' Middle East
Saudi Arabia has urged the US to increase its attacks on Iran and is considering whether to play a more direct part in the conflict, according to an intelligence source
Saudi Arabia wants Washington to intensify its military campaign against Iran, as the kingdom considers whether to become more directly involved.
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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had pressed Donald Trump not to end the war early, viewing the joint US-Israeli campaign as a “historic opportunity” to reshape the Middle East, a Saudi intelligence source claims.
According to the New York Times, Riyadh is not just calling for the military action to continue, but for it to be stepped up.
Trump appeared to back that account on Tuesday, telling reporters of the crown prince: “Yeah, he’s a warrior. He’s fighting with us.”
There has been no public indication so far of active Saudi military involvement in the conflict, now nearing its fourth week.
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But Saudi geopolitical analyst Mohammed Alhamed said the kingdom could reconsider if Pakistani-led peace efforts fail.
“What matters now is Iran’s decision,” he said.
“If Iran engages seriously, there is still a path to contain escalation. If it rejects the conditions and continues its attacks, the threshold for Saudi action will be crossed.”
Alhamed said Saudi Arabia “is not reacting impulsively” and added: “It is calibrating its response and preparing for a scenario where escalation, if it happens, will be deliberate and decisive.”
He added that Riyadh “has not been pushing for war” and said: “It has been trying to avoid being drawn into it, while keeping all options on the table.”
Saudi Arabia has already come under Iranian drone attack since the US-Israeli strikes began on February 28, including a strike a week ago on an oil refinery in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast.
Saudi defence expert Hesham Alghannam told AFP: "I believe that Saudi Arabia still maintains cautious neutrality in the Iran-Israel-US war.”
But he added: “If the Houthis strike Saudi assets, Riyadh may shift toward defensive coalition support or limited retaliation.”
Analysts say Riyadh is now balancing the risk of deeper involvement against fears that an only partly weakened Iran could become even more dangerous.
As Saudi commentator Khalid Aljabri put it: “The policy was don’t start the war, but if you start it, finish the job.”