Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Saudi Arabia on Monday to evict US troops from its territory and reiterated that its attacks in the region were only targeting its enemies.
“Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nation,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X. “Our operations are aimed at hostile aggressors who have no respect for Arabs or Iranians, nor can they provide any security… It is high time to expel American forces.”
An Iranian missile attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia destroyed a valuable E-3 Sentry early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, the first known combat loss of the type — and damaged several other military aircraft, according to a Bloomberg report.
The report said the roughly $300 million plane, used to detect distant threats and direct combat aircraft, had been rendered unflyable, with unverified photos showing its tail completely severed.
While the U.S. operates more than 30 such aircraft and can replace the loss, the destruction poses a significant hurdle, the Bloomberg report noted.
Meanwhile, Dubai authorities announced that maritime firefighting teams had successfully put out a fire on a tanker caused by a drone attack. All 24 crew members are safe and no injuries have been reported as officials continue to assess the situation, Reuters reported.
Brent crude futures initially rose more than 2% to $115.17 a barrel in early Asian trading after the news, but later eased after the Wall Street Journal said Trump was open to ending the conflict even if the Strait of Hormuz remained closed.
Brent crude is on track for a 59% gain in March, its biggest monthly gain on record, driven by continued tensions in the Middle East.
Trump threatens again
Trump has again threatened to strike Iran’s energy facilities if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, fueling fears of further escalation following the deployment of US troops to the region.
The US is “in serious discussions” with Iran about ending military operations, Trump said in a social media post on Monday. But if no deal is reached and Hormuz is reopened, “we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by sacking and completely obliterating all their power plants, oil wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all their desalination plants!).
Meanwhile, officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain have indicated privately that they do not want the military operation to end until there are fundamental changes in Iran’s leadership or a significant change in Iran’s behavior, an AP report said, citing sources.
Our operations are aimed at enemy aggressors who have no respect for Arabs or Iranians.
While regional leaders generally support current U.S. efforts, there are differences: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are leading calls for increased military pressure on Tehran, according to a Gulf diplomat, the AP reported.
Arab leaders meet in Saudi Arabia as Iran war puts pressure on region
The leaders of the wealthy Gulf states of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as key US ally Jordan, met in person on Monday to discuss regional tensions and ways to avoid further escalation, the AP reported.
