A source in the Saudi royal family commented on Iran’s attacks on the United Arab Emirates this week, telling Israel Channel 12 that Riyadh views the strikes as a calculated attempt to test the effectiveness of the air defense systems that Israel supplied to the UAE.
It should be noted that, according to a CNN report, an Israeli air defense system and IDF soldiers deployed to the UAE were involved in intercepting the missiles this week.
“We condemn this action against the UAE,” the source said, “and we believe that what Iran was doing was attempting to test the capabilities of the Israeli air defense systems that Israel provided to the Emirates.”
According to the source, Tehran’s move is not merely a localized response but part of a broader concept of regional confrontation against Israel and the US. “The ayatollah regime in Iran is seeking to test the strength of aerial deterrence and develop it ahead of a ‘unity of arenas’ war—from Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen—whose goal is to eventually topple Israel’s political system and end its existence as the United States’ most important ally in the Middle East,” he said.
The Saudi source added that, in Iran’s view, Israel and the U.S. are a genuine existential threat, and therefore the regime is preparing for a sustained operation. He believes that Iran will first attempt to wage a prolonged war of attrition, followed by a large-scale, rapid offensive “similar to October 7, but on a larger scale.”
The source was careful to emphasize that the kingdom does not want to be drawn into a direct confrontation. “Riyadh is distancing itself from this war as much as possible. This is not its war,” the source said, stressing that Saudi Arabia remains committed to its agreement with Iran brokered by China, while also formulating defense and emergency plans in case of escalation.
“If a direct Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia occurs, each event will be handled accordingly. We will not preempt events,” he said.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
