Saudi Arabia and the UAE had previously launched secret retaliatory strikes against Iran, but their strategies were not entirely identical

According to Reuters, citing two Western officials familiar with the matter and two Iranian officials, Saudi Arabia conducted multiple undisclosed attacks on Iran in retaliation for Iranian strikes carried out within Saudi territory during the Middle East conflict.

The previously unreported Saudi strikes mark the first known instance of Saudi military action directly targeting Iranian soil, signaling Riyadh’s growing boldness in confronting its primary regional rival.

Two Western officials stated that the assault was launched by the Saudi Air Force and assessed to have occurred in late March. One official merely described it as "a retaliatory strike in response to previous attacks on Saudi Arabia." Reuters was unable to confirm the specific targets of the attack.

A senior Saudi Foreign Ministry official did not directly address whether the strikes were carried out. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also declined to respond to requests for comment. While Saudi Arabia has long-standing military ties with the United States and historically relied on U.S. military protection, this ten-week-long Middle East war has made Saudi Arabia more vulnerable to Iranian attacks that could breach the American military umbrella.

The Saudi air strikes highlight the expanding scope of the conflict—a war that began on February 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran—has drawn in broader parts of the Middle East in various ways, impacts of which have not yet been publicly acknowledged.

Since the U.S.-Israel airstrikes, Iran has used missiles and drones to attack all six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), targeting not only U.S. military bases but also civilian facilities, airports, and oil infrastructure, while blockading the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting global trade.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Monday, the UAE also launched military strikes against Iran. According to sources familiar with the matter, these previously undisclosed strikes included an attack on an oil refinery on Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf. The attack occurred in early April, just after President Trump announced a ceasefire following five weeks of airstrikes, and triggered a massive fire that left most of the refinery’s capacity paralyzed for months.

Iran claimed at the time that the refinery had been hit by hostile forces and responded with a series of missile and drone attacks on the UAE and Kuwait. A source revealed that since the ceasefire agreement had not yet taken effect, the U.S. was not alarmed by the attack and had quietly welcomed the UAE and any other Gulf state joining the fight.

The actions by Saudi Arabia and the UAE together reveal a previously little-known conflict—Gulf monarchies beginning to retaliate after suffering Iranian attacks. However, their strategies are not identical. The UAE has adopted a tougher stance, aiming to make Iran pay, and rarely engages in public diplomatic contact with Tehran authorities.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has consistently sought to prevent escalation and maintained regular communication with Iran, including through Iran’s ambassador in Riyadh.

A senior Saudi Foreign Ministry official did not directly confirm whether a de-escalation agreement had been reached with Iran, but stated, “We reiterate Saudi Arabia’s consistent position: advocating for de-escalation, maintaining restraint, and reducing tensions to preserve stability, security, and prosperity in the region and its people.”

The aforementioned Iranian and Western officials said Saudi Arabia had informed Iran about the strike, leading to intense diplomatic engagement between the two sides. Saudi warnings of further retaliation ultimately led to a mutual understanding aimed at easing tensions.

Just one week before Washington and Tehran formally agreed on a broader ceasefire on April 7, informal de-escalation measures took effect. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. An Iranian official confirmed that Tehran and Riyadh had agreed to de-escalate, stating the move aimed to “halt hostilities, safeguard shared interests, and prevent further escalation of tensions.”

Iran and Saudi Arabia—the two major powers representing Shia and Sunni Muslims in the Middle East—have long had strained relations, supporting opposing factions in conflicts across the region. In 2023, under Chinese mediation, their relationship improved, restoring diplomatic ties, including a ceasefire agreement between Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which remains in force today.

Thanks to the Red Sea remaining open for shipping, Saudi Arabia has been able to continue exporting oil throughout the conflict—unlike most other Gulf states—thus relatively shielding itself from the war’s impact.

The Saudi air strikes came after weeks of escalating tensions. On March 19, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal emphasized at a press conference in Riyadh, “We reserve the right to take military action when necessary.” Three days later, Saudi Arabia declared Iran’s military attaché and four embassy staff members “persona non grata.”

According to the aforementioned Western sources, by late March, diplomatic engagement combined with Saudi threats to adopt a harder line similar to the UAE’s and further retaliation helped bring about a consensus for de-escalation.

Based on a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Defense, Reuters tallied that between March 25 and 31, Saudi Arabia faced over 105 drone and missile attacks; the number dropped to slightly over 25 between April 1 and 6.

In the days leading up to a full ceasefire, Western sources assessed that projectiles directed at Saudi Arabia were not originating from Iran, but from Iraq. This suggests Tehran had reduced direct attacks, while its allies continued operations. On April 12, Saudi Arabia summoned the Iraqi ambassador to protest attacks launched from Iraqi territory.

Even at the very outset of the broader ceasefire agreement between Iran and the U.S., when relations between the two sides were tense, communication between Saudi Arabia and Iran continued. At that time, the Saudi Ministry of Defense reported that Iran fired 31 drones and 16 missiles into Saudi territory on April 7–8.

This incident prompted Riyadh to consider retaliatory strikes against both Iran and Iraq. Meanwhile, Pakistan deployed fighter jets to reassure Saudi Arabia and urged all parties to exercise restraint, while diplomatic efforts intensified.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1865210086826057/

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