Saudi Arabia Secretly Struck Iran During the Middle East War

Saudi Arabia and Iran have long been rival powers in the Middle East, backing opposing sides across regional conflicts for decades. A China-brokered agreement in 2023 saw them restore ties, but the broader war that began when the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on February 28 reignited tensions. Saudi Arabia secretly launched multiple strikes on Iranian soil in late March, marking the first known direct Saudi military action against Iran, according to two Western and two Iranian officials. Following the attacks, Saudi Arabia warned Iran of further retaliation while maintaining diplomatic contact. Iranian strikes on the kingdom dropped from over 105 between March 25-31 to just over 25 between April 1-6. Both countries then agreed to de-escalate, with the informal understanding taking effect before the broader U.S.-Iran ceasefire was reached on April 7.