Foreign Minister Says Trust With Tehran Is “Shattered” as Riyadh Reserves Right to Retaliate.
For the first time in weeks, Riyadh heard the blasts itself.
Saudi Arabia has warned that it reserves the right to take military action against Iran after ballistic missiles targeted Riyadh, marking one of the most direct confrontations between the regional rivals in nearly three weeks of escalating war.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of regional foreign ministers in Riyadh, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud accused Tehran of “premeditated hostile actions” against Gulf states and said any remaining trust had effectively collapsed.
“This pressure from Iran will backfire politically and morally, and certainly we reserve the right to take military actions if deemed necessary,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia still preferred diplomacy but warned that continued attacks would leave “almost nothing” to rebuild bilateral confidence.
The remarks came hours after Saudi authorities said air defenses intercepted four ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh. Debris reportedly fell near a refinery south of the capital.
Witnesses described interceptors lighting up the night sky near the hotel hosting diplomats from roughly a dozen countries, including Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
The missile launches followed Iranian threats to strike Gulf energy infrastructure in retaliation for what Tehran says was an Israeli strike on facilities in the massive South Pars gas field.
Oil prices surged on fears of wider disruption to global supplies as Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia reported attacks on oil and gas sites.
Saudi officials say the kingdom has faced hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones since the conflict began, most intercepted before causing damage. But Wednesday’s barrage marked the first time many residents in Riyadh reported hearing explosions or receiving emergency text alerts.
The confrontation threatens to unravel a fragile diplomatic thaw between Riyadh and Tehran. The two countries restored relations in 2023 after years of rivalry that saw them back opposing factions across the Middle East.
Now, as the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran enters its third week, Saudi officials are signaling that patience is running thin.
Regional diplomats acknowledge that de-escalation remains elusive. With energy infrastructure under threat and missile exchanges edging closer to civilian centers, the Gulf’s uneasy balance appears increasingly fragile — and the risk of direct Saudi-Iranian confrontation no longer hypothetical.
