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The US is already considering the possibility of reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia, American officials said...
Relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have deteriorated significantly in recent months, amid anger in Riyadh over Washington's decision to wage war against Iran, a conflict that has sparked strong reactions across the region, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Saudi Arabia refused to allow the United States to use its bases for "Operation Liberty," which aimed to break Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz and escort ships during their passage through the strait.
Saudi Arabia's military bases and airspace were vital to the operation, and Riyadh's refusal to cooperate forced the US to cancel the mission, the Wall Street Journal revealed. At the time, US President Donald Trump claimed that progress in negotiations with Iran was the reason he called off "Operation Liberty", about two days after announcing its launch.
The White House was reportedly angered by Riyadh's decision and threatened to suspend the supply of interceptor missiles that Saudi Arabia was using to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones, American and Arab officials familiar with the matter told the newspaper.
Riyadh then backed down and Operation Liberty resumed in a non-public manner. However, according to US officials, the damage to bilateral relations could not be easily repaired.
The United States is already considering reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia, US officials told the Wall Street Journal. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Gulf countries, specifically the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, last week, a move that Riyadh considered an insult, according to the report.
A week ago, Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, declined an invitation to attend the G7 summit in France, where Donald Trump was also present, in protest at the way Washington was managing the war, sources told the Wall Street Journal.
Saudi Arabia reportedly pressured Trump not to go to war with Iran, fearing that efforts to overthrow the Iranian regime would fail and that Tehran would respond by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which would destabilize the region and damage the global economy.
The fact that Trump decided to continue the war added to Saudi Arabia's concerns that its investment in relations with the US president had not translated into real influence on shaping American policy, according to Arab officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
After initial hesitation, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states allowed the US to use their bases for attacks against Iran, as they themselves quickly became targets of Iranian missiles and drones.
Saudi Arabia also launched a series of its own strikes against Iranian drone and missile positions, US officials and an Arab official told the newspaper.
Iran has launched attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia, prompting Riyadh to push for a diplomatic solution aimed at reducing tensions. Saudi Arabia has expressed particular opposition to the United Arab Emirates' continued attacks on Iran, fearing they would further expose the region's energy facilities.
Riyadh has urged the US to pressure the UAE to stop the attacks and join regional diplomatic efforts to end the war, according to the Wall Street Journal. Abu Dhabi's tough stance on Iran has further strained relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The UAE withdrew from the Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) last April.
Saudi Arabia also pressured the US during the war to lift the blockade on Iranian ports, but Donald Trump refused to do so until a deal was reached last month. /Adapted from Pamphlet /
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