Report: Saudis Warn They Will Intercept Israeli Warplanes Trying to Attack Iran

Barak Denies Receiving Warning From Saudis

New reports coming out today have the Saudi government warning that they will not allow Israel access to their airspace for a unilateral attack against Iran, and that they plan on intercepting any warplanes that violate their airspace.

The warning was delivered by top Saudi officials to Obama Administration officials, who were to then pass it on to Israel. It was suggested that the Saudis were okay with a US attack on Iran, but didn’t want to back an Israel-only strike.

A number of unnamed Israeli officials were cited as seeing the message as a warning from the US not to launch a strike as opposed to a warning from the Saudis. Defense Minister Ehud Barak denied having received any warning of any sort.

Israel has long been expected to use a route through Saudi Arabia for its attack on Iran, and would have a much more difficult time without it, though Iraq’s lack of air defenses could allow have them trying to go that route, and their close relationship with Azerbaijan could make the northern route another possibility.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.