A reported Saudi refusal to open its skies and bases to US forces during the Iran war exposed a major crack in Washington’s Gulf security architecture.
A dramatic report claims that Saudi Arabia blocked the US military from using Saudi bases and airspace for a major operation during the war with Iran, forcing the White House to cancel a strike plan involving more than 100 American fighter jets.
According to the report, Riyadh feared that cooperation with the operation would trigger direct Iranian retaliation against Saudi oil infrastructure and ignite the Gulf. The Saudi move reportedly infuriated Washington, especially after President Donald Trump had already announced the operation.
The crisis deepened after Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain last week while skipping Saudi Arabia — a move Riyadh viewed as deliberate. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had also reportedly declined an invitation to a G7 summit in France in protest over the way Washington handled the war.
