As Iranian ballistic missiles hammered Israeli military targets in June, the U.S. quietly reached out to Saudi Arabia for help.
Washington asked Riyadh to transfer some of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors to support Israel.
Two U.S. officials told 'Middle East Eye' that Saudi Arabia refused.
“During the war, we asked everyone to donate,” one official said. “When that didn’t work, we tried deal-making. It wasn’t aimed at one country.”
Israel's interceptor stockpile was running critically low amid the escalating conflict with Iran.
U.S. officials viewed Saudi Arabia, already equipped with THAAD and facing regional threats, as well-positioned to assist.
Saudi Arabia was about to receive its first THAAD battery, funded by its sovereign budget.
The battery was inaugurated on July 3, just nine days after Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire.
The U.S. had already deployed air defense systems to the Persian Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which were previously targeted by Yemen Ansarallah and Yemen's Army missile attacks.
U.S. officials feared their own THAAD supplies would be dangerously depleted if the Iranian strikes on Israel intensified.
The request to Riyadh underscores Washington’s urgency in shoring up Israel’s defenses, even if allies weren’t always willing to play ball.
Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia improved following mediation by China in Beijing, resulting in a current state of favorable ties.
