After the escalating tensions in the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia has issued the strongest warning to date regarding its “completely shattered” trust in Iran and directly threatens military action if attacks against the kingdom and others occur again. A series of missile and drone attacks targeted Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, raising concerns that the country may directly intervene in the ongoing war.
According to reports, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated after a meeting between high-ranking officials from other Gulf countries: “Our trust has completely been shattered.”
He stated that he holds Iran responsible for targeting countries not directly fighting in this war and that “The attacks against my country and my neighboring nations not engaged in conflict, this is all I am interested in.” He said, at present, the main focus is on preventing future strikes.
Saudi Arabia: ‘Will Use Every Tool Available’
The clearest indication that an escalation may occur is his comment regarding Saudi Arabia being willing to use any means available to them to respond, stating that “We will use every tool we have political, economic, diplomatic or otherwise, to cease these attacks.”
He accused Iran of intentionally hindering diplomacy. “Clearly, there is nothing coincidental about this… This is indicative of Iran’s attitude towards diplomacy. It uses pressure and threats towards its neighbors, and this will not help them.”
Threat of Military Action
Additionally, he offered, “Iran’s use of military force to apply pressure will have political and moral consequences, and we are prepared to take military action if necessary.”
His comments were made after Iranian missiles directly attacked Saudi Arabia, with air defence systems intercepting many missiles targeted at Riyadh. The debris from these intercepts reportedly impacted near a refinery, representing a significant escalation of the regional conflict.
The wider region has also been attacked by Iranian strikes on energy infrastructure in Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, setting off fires and causing disruption. These attacks were a direct response to the earlier attacks against Iran’s South Pars gas field, thereby broadening the scope of the current conflict.
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
