Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman Made Multiple Private Calls to Trump Urging Strike on Iran: Washington Report

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman Made Multiple Private Calls to Trump Urging Strike on Iran: Washington Report

The joint US–Israeli military campaign — dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” by Washington and “Operation Roaring Lion” by Israel — was reportedly influenced by behind-the-scenes lobbying from Saudi Arabia and Israel, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Citing four unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the newspaper said Mohammed bin Salman privately urged Donald Trump in multiple phone calls to carry out joint strikes on Iran, even as Riyadh publicly called for diplomatic solutions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reportedly continued his long-running push for US military action against what he has described as an existential threat to Israel.

The large-scale aerial assault targeted Iranian leadership and military infrastructure, with Iranian state media later confirming the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The 86-year-old leader, who had ruled since 1989, was killed alongside several senior officials in the initial phase of the strikes, according to multiple reports.

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Iranian authorities declared 40 days of national mourning, with flags lowered and large public gatherings reported in cities including Tehran. Security has been heightened nationwide as discussions begin over the selection of a successor to the country’s highest authority.

Regional Fallout and Escalating Retaliation

Following the strikes, Iran launched retaliatory missile attacks targeting US bases, Israel and multiple Gulf states. Explosions were reported near major landmarks in cities including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Riyadh, dramatically widening the scope of the conflict.

Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes on its territory as “blatant and cowardly,” reiterating that it had not allowed its airspace to be used for attacks on Iran. According to Saudi and regional media, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman subsequently held calls with leaders across the Gulf, including Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Abdullah II, expressing solidarity and pledging support.

Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has since threatened what it called its “most intense offensive operation” against US and Israeli targets, raising fears of a prolonged regional confrontation.

The Trump administration has defended the operation as necessary to counter what it described as an imminent threat linked to Iran’s nuclear activities. However, the killing of Khamenei — the second Supreme Leader after Ruhollah Khomeini — leaves a significant leadership vacuum and introduces uncertainty about Iran’s political future.

With retaliatory attacks under way and diplomatic channels strained, the Middle East faces one of its most volatile moments in decades.