Escalating Tensions: Saudi Crown Prince Urges US Strikes on Iran

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged US President Donald Trump to conduct military strikes against Iran. Despite earlier advocating for diplomacy, the recent US-Israel offensive resulted in significant casualties, including the death of Iran's Supreme Leader. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks on US military bases in Gulf nations. This article explores the unfolding situation and its implications for regional stability.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 1, 2026, 17:41 IST

Saudi Arabia's Role in US-Iran Conflict

Riyadh: Last month, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly made several calls to US President Donald Trump, advocating for military action against Iran, as per a report from a major news outlet. Interestingly, earlier in January, he had publicly endorsed a diplomatic approach to resolve the tensions between the US and Iran, asserting that Saudi airspace would not be utilized for any military operations against Iran.

On February 28, the United States and Israel executed a coordinated military operation targeting various Iranian cities, which significantly heightened the already fragile situation in the Middle East. In response, Iran retaliated with missile strikes aimed at US military installations across Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. The Saudi government condemned these Iranian assaults, with the Foreign Ministry issuing a statement that strongly denounced the attacks as cowardly and unjustifiable.

Details of the US-Israel Offensive: The joint strikes by the US and Israel resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. This operation, dubbed "Operation Roaring Lion" by the Israeli Defense Forces, was the culmination of extensive collaborative planning with US military forces, as stated by IDF Lt Col Nadav Shoshani in a video message. Additionally, key Iranian military figures, including Army Chief of Staff Abdul Rahim Mousavi and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, were also killed during these strikes.

According to Iran's state media IRNA, additional military commanders were reported killed in the strikes. Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli Air Force confirmed that its jets had targeted military installations in Iran, resulting in the deaths of seven high-ranking Iranian defense officials, including Ali Shamkhani and Mohammad Pakpour.