Saudi Arabia Carried Out Covert Strikes on Iran During Widening Regional War

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audi Arabia secretly launched a series of military strikes against Iran earlier this year in retaliation for attacks on Saudi territory, according to Western and Iranian officials cited by Reuters, revealing a previously undisclosed escalation in the Middle East war.

The strikes, reportedly carried out by the Saudi Air Force in late March, mark the first known direct Saudi military action on Iranian soil. Reuters said two Western officials and two Iranian officials confirmed the operations, though the exact targets inside Iran remain unclear.

The covert attacks came amid a rapidly expanding regional war triggered after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28. Since then, Iran has launched missiles and drones at Gulf states, targeting military installations, airports, civilian infrastructure and energy facilities across the region.

According to Reuters, the Saudi strikes were followed by a sharp decline in Iranian attacks on the kingdom. A Reuters tally based on Saudi defense ministry statements showed more than 105 missile and drone attacks during the week of March 25-31, compared with just over 25 attacks during April 1-6.

Saudi Arabia shifts toward a more assertive posture

For years, Saudi Arabia relied heavily on the United States for regional protection, particularly against Iranian threats. However, the ongoing war has exposed vulnerabilities in the Gulf security system, with Iranian missiles and drones reportedly penetrating regional defenses.

The reported strikes suggest Riyadh is adopting a more assertive military posture in response to direct attacks on its territory.

While Saudi officials did not confirm the operations publicly, a senior Saudi foreign ministry official reiterated Riyadh’s support for de-escalation and regional stability. Iranian authorities also declined official comment.

Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia informed Iran through diplomatic channels about the strikes while simultaneously warning Tehran against further escalation. Intensive diplomacy followed, eventually producing an informal understanding between the two rivals to reduce hostilities.

Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group said the sequence reflected a “pragmatic recognition” by both sides that unchecked escalation could spiral into a much broader regional conflict.

Gulf states increasingly drawn into conflict

The report also highlights how Gulf Arab states have become more directly involved in the war than previously acknowledged publicly.

According to Reuters and earlier reporting by The Wall Street Journal, the United Arab Emirates also conducted military strikes against Iran during the conflict. Unlike Saudi Arabia, however, the UAE reportedly adopted a more hawkish approach and engaged less frequently in public diplomacy with Tehran.

Despite the covert military exchanges, Saudi Arabia maintained communication channels with Iran, including contacts through Tehran’s ambassador in Riyadh. Analysts say this dual-track strategy — combining military deterrence with diplomacy — reflects Riyadh’s effort to avoid a full-scale regional war while protecting its security interests.

The de-escalation efforts appeared to take effect shortly before Washington and Tehran agreed to a broader ceasefire on April 7.

Tensions remain despite ceasefire efforts

Although direct Iranian attacks on Saudi territory reportedly declined, regional tensions continued.

Western officials cited by Reuters assessed that later attacks targeting Saudi Arabia originated primarily from armed groups in Iraq rather than directly from Iran itself, suggesting Tehran may have scaled back overt military operations while allied militias continued limited attacks.

Saudi Arabia later summoned Iraq’s ambassador to protest projectiles launched from Iraqi territory.

The kingdom also considered retaliatory measures against both Iran and Iraq after another spike in missile and drone attacks on April 7-8, according to Reuters. During that period, Pakistan reportedly deployed fighter jets to reassure Saudi Arabia and urged regional restraint as diplomatic efforts intensified.

The conflict has tested the fragile détente established between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023 under a China-brokered agreement that restored diplomatic relations after years of hostility and proxy conflicts across the Middle East.

Despite the ongoing tensions, Saudi Arabia has managed to avoid severe disruptions to oil exports, partly because Red Sea shipping routes remained operational throughout much of the conflict.

(Source: Reuters)