Saudi warplanes just stepped directly into the US-Iran shadow fight. American and Saudi jets on Tuesday carried out coordinated strikes on what US officials described as Iranian-backed militant sites in eastern Iraq, after more than 30 recent drone attacks attributed to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, reports the Washington Post. US Central Command noted that the airstrikes hit "logistics and weapons" sites, adding that it remained "vigilant and at a high state of readiness," per the AP. The Saudi Defense Ministry acknowledged its part in the attacks without elaborating, while Tehran, for its part, hasn't publicly responded.
Earlier in the day, US forces intercepted several Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at American personnel, an incident that officials called an "attempted surprise attack," per the Post. The moves risk unraveling a fragile lull that US President Trump had been pushing to revive peace talks and suggest a widening of the five-month-old war. The New York Times notes that the Saudis' participation is a "rare" example of them becoming openly engaged: "The kingdom has avoided becoming a direct combatant, but it has launched secret strikes on Iran in retaliation for the attacks it faced," according to senior US officials. Analysts say Saudi Arabia's involvement is a notable shift that could open the door to US use of Saudi bases in any future operations against Iran or in the Strait of Hormuz.
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