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Saudi Air Force Conducts Covert Strikes on Iran

Supported

Claim checked

“According to Reuters, citing both Iranian and Western officials, the Saudi Arabian Air Force conducted retaliatory strikes on Iran, following Iranian strikes on their oil, civilian, and military infrastructure in late March. Per the report, citing a Western official, the strikes were characterized as “tit-for-tat strikes in retaliation for when Saudi [Arabia] was hit.” This follows recent revelations that the United Arab Emirates also carried out retaliatory strikes before and after the nominal ceasefire, following the vast majority of Iranian drone and missile strikes across the Gulf region being directed at them. This now makes two Gulf nations that have retaliated directly for Iranian strikes against the Gulf.”

Published

Updated

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Verdict

Supported

A social media report claiming that the Saudi Arabian Air Force conducted retaliatory strikes against Iran has been confirmed by a Reuters investigation. According to Western and Iranian sources, Saudi Arabia launched covert air strikes in late March 2026 in response to Iranian attacks on Saudi oil, civilian, and military infrastructure. This marks the first time Saudi Arabia has directly struck Iranian soil.

Reasoning

The verdict has been updated from unverified to supported. Previously, the claim relied on a social media post citing a Reuters report that could not be located. However, a new report from Reuters (corroborated by Ynetnews) confirms that Saudi Arabia did indeed carry out covert 'tit-for-tat' strikes in late March 2026. This new evidence provides the missing confirmation from both Western and Iranian sources. The old evidence regarding the preceding Iranian attacks on Saudi infrastructure remains relevant as it establishes the motive for the retaliation.

Source quality: The claim is now supported by a report from Reuters, a highly reputable international news agency, which cited multiple Western and Iranian sources. This is further corroborated by historical context of Iranian strikes documented in regional records.

Key checks

  • Confirmation of Reuters report: A Reuters report published on May 12, 2026, confirms that Saudi Arabia carried out covert attacks against Iran in late March 2026, citing two Western and two Iranian sources.

  • Nature of the strikes: Sources characterized the Saudi Air Force operations as 'tit-for-tat' strikes in direct response to Iranian attacks on Saudi energy and military facilities earlier in the year.

  • Iranian strikes on Saudi infrastructure: Records confirm that Iran conducted extensive strikes on Saudi oil and military infrastructure throughout early 2026, including the Ras Tanura refinery and Prince Sultan Air Base.

Confidence

High

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