CBS reports that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed concern regarding the targets the United States may choose for its strikes on Iran, according to a source familiar with the matter. The development underscores Saudi Arabia's unease over the expanding US military campaign against Iran and its potential consequences for the kingdom.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has expressed concern to American officials over the specific targets the United States may select for its ongoing strikes on Iran, CBS reported on Sunday, citing a source familiar with the matter. The report adds a new layer to the kingdom's mounting anxiety over the direction of the U.S. military campaign, which has already seen multiple rounds of airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure.
The development follows a flurry of reports published in the early hours of Sunday (02:11 Jerusalem) detailing the Crown Prince's intensive efforts to shape the U.S. operation. The thread began with an Axios report citing American officials that MBS urged Trump to cancel large-scale strikes. Successive reports from N12 showed MBS later asked for Trump's 'plan of action' and clarified he was not seeking to halt the attack but to understand whether Saudi Arabia needed to prepare for increased fire. By 02:11, CNN reported that MBS made a 'heavy pressure' call to Trump to calm tensions, and Trump subsequently announced he had canceled a planned strike at the request of Iran and regional states. The new CBS report, emerging hours later, indicates that MBS's concern persists and has now focused on the U.S. target selection process itself.
As The Zioneer has previously reported, Saudi leaders have been privately urging Washington to de-escalate with Tehran. In July, the Saudi Defense Minister told Vice President JD Vance that MBS wished to reduce tensions with Iran, contrary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position. Separately, the Saudi Foreign Minister was reported to have pleaded with the U.S. to avoid a large-scale campaign and shift focus away from Israel. The kingdom's concern is rooted in its vulnerability to Iranian retaliation, including from Houthi proxies in Yemen, and its hosting of American forces at Prince Sultan Air Base, which was struck by Iran in June.
It remains unclear which specific targets the Crown Prince raised concerns about, and whether the Trump administration has adjusted its operational plans in response to Saudi input. The CBS report did not cite a direct response from U.S. officials to MBS's latest representation.
10 developments
- DevelopingSaudi Foreign Minister Reportedly Urges US to Avoid War with Iran, Shift Focus from Israel
- StrongSaudi Defense Minister to VP Vance: MBS seeks de-escalation with Iran, contrary to Netanyahu
- StrongSaudi report: bin Salman spoke with Trump on Iran negotiations
- DevelopingTrump says US military on alert, urges Iran to return to negotiations after missile barrage
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