Saudi Arabia has not allowed offensive military operations to be carried out in its airspace and is advocating for de-escalation of the conflict in the Persian Gulf, Al Arabiya reported, citing a senior Saudi source.
He said that the kingdom's authorities “have not allowed the use of its airspace for offensive military operations“. He added that “some countries, for dubious reasons, are now trying to create a distorted picture of Riyadh's position“. The Al Arabiya source also stressed that Saudi Arabia “seeks de-escalation and supports Pakistan's efforts to reach an agreement that will end the war“.
Raed Krimli, Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister for public diplomacy, called for distrust of media speculation. “The kingdom remains committed to supporting de-escalation, preventing escalation, and facilitating negotiations and related efforts. Information attributed to anonymous sources, including allegedly Saudi ones, should be treated with caution if it contradicts this“, the diplomat wrote in X.
On May 7, The Wall Street Journal, citing its sources, reported that the Trump administration was considering resuming Operation “Project Freedom“, which escorts commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the publication, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have lifted previously imposed restrictions on the use of their bases and airspace by the US military for these purposes. As the publication noted, Trump suspended the operation on Tuesday after a phone call with Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, who expressed concern about the escalation. The US president himself later said on social networks that he had agreed to suspend the initiative at the request of Pakistan and several other countries.