Saudi Arabia walks tightrope between US and Iran
Part of composite article Saudi Arabia Joins US Strikes as Iran War Risks Engulf the Middle East View full article →
The kingdom faces a difficult choice: keep striking back as a deterrent, or step back to calm tensions. Saudi Arabia is trying to stay out of the growing conflict between the United States and Iran, but its position grows more precarious by the day. Each military response risks dragging the country deeper into a war it does not want. De-escalation, however, could be seen as weakness by its rivals. The dilemma leaves Riyadh with no easy path forward.