Daijiworld Media Network - Riyadh
Riyadh, Mar 19: Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has issued a stern warning to Iran, cautioning that Saudi Arabia’s patience over alleged attacks on Gulf nations is “not unlimited” and urging Tehran to immediately “recalculate” its strategy.
Addressing a press conference, the Saudi foreign minister said the nature and precision of recent strikes on regional targets indicated they were “premeditated, preplanned, and well organised,” despite denials from Iranian officials.
“The level of accuracy in some of this targeting… indicates that this is something that was well thought out,” he said, adding that both Saudi Arabia and its regional partners possess “very significant capacities and capabilities” to respond if required.
The warning follows a series of reported Iranian attacks on key energy facilities in the Gulf region, including Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City—one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas hubs—and the UAE’s Habshan gas facility, where damage was reported.
Qatar strongly condemned the strike on Ras Laffan, calling it a “blatant attack” on critical infrastructure. The facility accounts for a significant share of global LNG production.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had earlier warned of retaliatory strikes on Gulf oil and gas infrastructure following an attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field.
Saudi Arabia said its air defence systems intercepted four ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh and two aimed at the eastern region.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates reported intercepting 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones. Operations at the Habshan gas facility were temporarily suspended after debris from intercepted projectiles caused damage.
Prince Faisal said the ongoing conflict has severely damaged trust between Saudi Arabia and Iran, warning that rebuilding relations would take considerable time even after hostilities end.
“We know for a fact that Iran has been building this strategy over the last decade… targeting neighbours to exert pressure on the international community,” he said.
He cautioned that unless Iran immediately halts such actions, the possibility of restoring trust could become “almost impossible.”
The developments come amid rising regional tensions, with Arab and Islamic foreign ministers meeting in Riyadh earlier in the day to discuss the escalating conflict and its wider implications.