Saudi Arabia asserts right to retaliate against Iranian attacks

Saudi Arabia’s government warned that it has a ‘full right’ to respond to Iranian attacks targeting the capital Riyadh and other areas of the country. Saudi described the Iranian strikes as ‘brazen and cowardly’ assaults.

Iran launched a series of simultaneous attacks against Gulf states that host American assets and troops in recent days, in retaliation for US and Israel strikes on its territory that began last Saturday (28 February) local time.

The Saudi warning, reported by Arab News on Wednesday (4 March 2026), was delivered during a cabinet session on Tuesday evening, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who also serves as Saudi Prime Minister, via videoconference.

‘The Kingdom reaffirms its full right to take all measures necessary to defend its security, territorial integrity, its citizens and residents, and its vital interests, including options to respond to the aggression,’ according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

In the cabinet session, Saudi authorities also reaffirmed solidarity with neighbouring countries whose territories were targeted by Iran’s blatant aggression, ‘reiterating full Saudi Arabia solidarity with friendly nations whose territories have been targeted by Iran’s brazen aggression,’ SPA said in its report. According to SPA, this signalled a united front against the regional threat.

The cabinet session followed ongoing Iranian attacks across several Saudi areas, including a drone attack directly on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.

Saudi Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said that although the country’s air defences could intercept several threats, the U.S. Embassy sustained a ‘limited blaze and minor material damage.’

Al-Malki added that Saudi forces had intercepted and destroyed eight additional drones targeting Riyadh and Al-Kharj on Tuesday morning (3 March).

The Saudi Foreign Ministry, in a separate statement, said the attack on the embassy violated the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

‘This repeated, glaring behaviour by Iran will push the region toward further escalation,’ the Foreign Ministry warned.