Riyadh — Saudi Arabia has put Iran on notice that military retaliation is now a genuine possibility, after fresh waves of missile and drone attacks struck the kingdom, including a barrage that hit the capital while a dozen Arab and Islamic foreign ministers were sitting down for talks on regional stability.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan delivered the warning on Thursday in one of the strongest public statements from a senior Saudi official since the conflict began.
“We have reserved the right to take military action if deemed necessary,” Prince Faisal said. “The kingdom is not going to succumb to pressure, and on the contrary, this pressure will backfire.”
He accused Iran of using sustained military force to push Gulf neighbours into a political retreat, dismissed Tehran’s claim that its strikes only targeted American interests as “weak, inaccurate and irrelevant,” and warned that the kingdom’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness.
“Neither Saudi Arabia nor the Gulf states will accept blackmail,” he said. “Escalation will be met with escalation.”
Strikes Hit Riyadh as Diplomats Met
Saudi authorities confirmed that fresh Iranian attacks landed on Wednesday evening, just hours after foreign ministers from around a dozen Arab and Islamic countries gathered in Riyadh for talks aimed at reducing tensions across the region.
Residents in the capital reported a series of loud explosions throughout the evening. The Saudi Ministry of Defence confirmed that air defence systems successfully intercepted incoming ballistic missiles and drones before they reached their targets.
Prince Faisal said the timing of the strikes could not have been more deliberate.
“The targeting of Riyadh at the very moment diplomats were meeting is the clearest possible indication of how Iran views dialogue,” he said. “It does not believe in speaking with its neighbours, nor does it respect diplomatic engagement.”
The Scale of Attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
The attacks on Wednesday are part of a sustained pattern that has put the entire Gulf region under sustained pressure since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28.
Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed 51 drones in a single day last week, with attacks spread across Riyadh, the Eastern Province, Al Kharj and the Empty Quarter, according to The National. A CIA station at the US Embassy compound in Riyadh was struck by a suspected Iranian drone in early March, with a fire breaking out at the compound in the aftermath, as reported by the Washington Post.
Prince Sultan Air Base in Al Kharj, where US forces are stationed, has been struck on multiple occasions. A US soldier subsequently died from injuries sustained in one of those attacks.
Bahrain reported it had intercepted 125 missiles and 203 drones since the start of the Iranian campaign, with the attacks killing two people in the kingdom and 24 others across neighbouring Gulf states.
South Pars Gas Field — Israel Acts Alone
The diplomatic gathering came on the same day that Israel confirmed it had struck Iran’s South Pars gas field — the world’s largest natural gas reserve, which Iran shares with Qatar — sending oil prices surging to $115 a barrel.
Netanyahu confirmed at a press conference on Thursday that US President Trump had subsequently asked Israel to stand down from further energy infrastructure strikes. Israel said it was complying with that request.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned that Tehran’s response to the South Pars strike had used “only a fraction” of its power, threatening zero restraint if Iranian civilian infrastructure was targeted again.
Qatar confirmed extensive damage at its Ras Laffan energy hub following the Iranian retaliatory strikes.
12 Countries Sign Joint Condemnation
Following the ministerial talks, foreign ministers from the participating Arab and Islamic countries released a joint statement condemning the pattern of attacks across the region.
The statement described the attacks on oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential compounds and diplomatic missions as grave violations of international norms that “cannot be justified under any circumstances,” and called on Iran to immediately halt its military strikes and take steps toward de-escalation before the situation deteriorated further.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was among those attending the Riyadh meeting.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister separately told Iran’s government he had reminded Tehran of the mutual defence agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September 2025 — a significant diplomatic signal that continued attacks on Riyadh carry treaty-level consequences for Iran’s relationships in the region.
Saudi Cabinet — ‘All Necessary Measures’
The Saudi cabinet issued its own statement confirming it would take all necessary measures to defend the kingdom’s security, territory, citizens and residents.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, together with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, issued a joint warning that continued Iranian attacks on Gulf states risk triggering broader regional escalation.
Regional analysts say the unusually direct and public nature of Saudi Arabia’s military warning reflects Riyadh’s conclusion that condemnation and air defence alone will not be sufficient to halt the attacks — and that Tehran must now weigh the possibility of a direct Saudi military response for the first time.
For the latest on the Iran conflict and Operation Epic Fury, visit M10News.com.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more facts are confirmed.
