Saudi Crown Prince urges Trump to ‘keep hitting Iran hard’ – report

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has privately urged President Trump to maintain aggressive military strikes against Iran, even as Gulf leaders publicly avoid direct retaliation to prevent the ongoing conflict from spiraling into a total regional war.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly been in frequent contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, advising the administration to “keep hitting the Iranians hard” as the regional conflict enters its third week. According to a New York Times report published Sunday, the Crown Prince’s stance mirrors the historic counsel of the late King Abdullah, who famously urged Washington to “cut off the head of the snake” to neutralize Tehran’s regional influence. This behind-the-scenes lobbying comes amid a broader U.S.-Israeli campaign, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” which began on February 28 with a strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and has since seen intensified aerial bombardments across Iranian territory.

Publicly, the Gulf states have maintained a more cautious diplomatic posture, even as they face a barrage of retaliatory fire. On Monday, Mohammed bin Salman held high-level talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed to address what they termed a “dangerous escalation” following more than 2,000 Iranian missile and drone launches toward Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In a joint statement, the leaders asserted that “the continuation of Iran’s unjust attacks on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries represents a dangerous escalation that threatens the region’s security and stability.” Despite these denunciations, Gulf leaders affirmed they would prioritize defending their own territories and providing resources for regional security rather than joining the offensive directly.

The reluctance of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to launch public retaliatory strikes against Iran stems from deep-seated concerns regarding “the day after” and the potential for a total regional war. Sources speaking to The Jerusalem Postindicated that while the Gulf states are absorbing significant damage, including recent drone incidents at Dubai International Airport and strikes on energy installations in Fujairah, they fear that a claimed counterattack would trigger an even more devastating expansion of Iranian targets. Consequently, while bin Salman privately encourages American military pressure, the official GCC position remains focused on strategic patience and the “importance of prioritising serious dialogue and diplomatic means” to preserve what remains of regional peace.

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