Saudi Arabia carried out unreported airstrikes on Iran in late March in
retaliation for attacks on its territory, marking the first known direct Saudi
military action on Iranian soil. The strikes were followed by diplomatic
engagement and an understanding to de-escalate, with Iran curtailing direct
attacks on the kingdom. The conflict, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes
on February 28, has drawn in Gulf states, including the UAE. Ali Vaez of the
International Crisis Group said the sequence “shows pragmatic recognition on
both sides that uncontrolled escalation carries unacceptable costs.”
