Saudi Arabia has secretly conducted numerous airstrikes inside Iran, according to Reuters citing Western and Iranian officials. The attacks reportedly took place in late March as retaliation for earlier strikes on Saudi territory during the ongoing Middle East war. Analysts said the revelation indicates a more assertive Saudi stance against its regional rival Iran.

Two Western officials confirmed that the Saudi Air Force executed the operations, though the exact Iranian targets remain unverified. The conflict, which began after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, has since expanded across the region. The Wall Street Journal also reported that the United Arab Emirates carried out attacks against Iran, suggesting a widening of the confrontation.

The report noted that Saudi Arabia, traditionally reliant on U.S. security guarantees, acted independently during the ten-week war, exposing perceived weaknesses in Washington’s protective umbrella.