Saudi Arabia's Secret Strikes on Iran Revealed as Middle East War Widened
Saudi Arabia and the UAE carried out undisclosed military strikes on Iranian soil during the regional war, marking a dramatic escalation that was hidden from the public until now.
In a revelation that reshapes our understanding of the Middle East war, it has emerged that both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates carried out secret military strikes on Iranian territory during the conflict — all while publicly denying direct involvement.
The Covert Campaign
According to Western and Iranian officials, the Saudi Air Force launched numerous unpublicized strikes on Iran in late March 2026. These attacks, first reported by Reuters and later corroborated by the New York Times, mark the first known instance of Saudi Arabia directly conducting military operations on Iranian soil.
The UAE separately struck an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in early April, causing significant damage and disabling much of the facility’s production capabilities, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Context: A War That Drew Everyone In
The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. In the weeks that followed, Iran retaliated by hitting all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states with missiles and drones, targeting US military bases, civilian sites, airports, and oil infrastructure. Iran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade.
Saudi Arabia endured more than 105 drone and missile attacks in just the week of March 25–31 alone, according to a Reuters tally of Saudi defence ministry statements. The kingdom had traditionally relied on the US military for protection, but the 10-week war demonstrated that even the American umbrella could not fully shield it.
Saudi Calculus: Retaliation With Restraint
What makes Saudi Arabia’s approach remarkable is its dual track. While launching retaliatory strikes, Riyadh simultaneously maintained diplomatic channels with Tehran, including through Iran’s ambassador in Riyadh.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan signaled the shift at a March 19 press conference, stating the kingdom “reserved the right to take military actions if deemed necessary.” Three days later, Saudi Arabia declared Iran’s military attaché and four embassy staff persona non grata.
The combination of military force and diplomatic pressure worked. After Saudi Arabia made Iran aware of the strikes and threatened further retaliation, the two countries reached an informal de-escalation understanding. The results were tangible: attacks on Saudi Arabia dropped from over 105 in the final week of March to roughly 25 between April 1–6.
The De-escalation Understanding
The informal cease-fire between Riyadh and Tehran took effect in the week before the broader US-Iran ceasefire on April 7. One Iranian official confirmed that Tehran and Riyadh had agreed to “cease hostilities, safeguard mutual interests, and prevent the escalation of tensions.”
Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group, characterized the sequence as showing “not trust, but a shared interest in imposing limits on confrontation before it spiralled into a wider regional conflict.”
Contrasting Approaches: Saudi Arabia vs. UAE
The two Gulf powers adopted markedly different strategies:
- UAE: Took a consistently hawkish stance, seeking to extract a cost from Iran with minimal public diplomacy
- Saudi Arabia: Pursued retaliation while keeping diplomatic channels open, reflecting the kingdom’s interest in preventing uncontrolled escalation
Saudi Arabia’s approach was partly pragmatic. With the Red Sea remaining open to shipping — unlike the experience of most Gulf states — the kingdom could continue exporting oil throughout the conflict, remaining relatively insulated economically.
Why This Matters Now
The revelation of these covert strikes fundamentally changes the narrative of the Middle East war. What appeared to be a conflict primarily between the US-Israel coalition and Iran was in fact a broader regional confrontation where Gulf states were active, if hidden, participants.
For Saudi Arabia specifically, the strikes represent a significant departure from decades of military caution. The kingdom’s willingness to directly strike Iranian soil — and then manage the aftermath through diplomacy — suggests a new era of confidence in its own defense capabilities, even as it continues to value de-escalation over open war.
As former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal wrote in Arab News: “When Iran and others tried to drag the kingdom into the furnace of destruction, our leadership chose to endure the pains caused by a neighbour in order to protect the lives and property of its citizens.”
The full picture, it turns out, was considerably more complex than that public statement suggested.
Looking Ahead
With a fragile ceasefire holding and Hajj 2026 underway under unprecedented security measures, the Middle East remains in a delicate balance. The Saudi-Iranian de-escalation understanding is informal, not institutionalized. Whether this pragmatic arrangement endures — or unravels — will shape the region’s trajectory for years to come.