US Forces Still Access Saudi Airspace Despite Operational Pause
RIYADH: U.S. forces retain access to Saudi airspace and bases, even though they were instructed not to use them for a recently halted operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to two Saudi sources speaking to AFP on Friday.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump announced a pause in the two-day-old “Project Freedom,” which was intended to assist ships navigating the Strait, following increased tensions with Iran that jeopardized a fragile ceasefire.
Reports from U.S. media suggested that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the acting leader of Saudi Arabia, had a direct conversation with Trump, during which he declined to allow U.S. forces to utilize Saudi airspace and bases for the operation.
However, the two informed Saudi sources indicated that U.S. military access is still permitted for other activities. One source mentioned, “Saudi Arabia opposed the operation as it believed it would only escalate the situation without any effective outcome.”
In a separate statement, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, Rayed Krimly, emphasized the kingdom’s commitment to de-escalation and dialogue efforts via social media posts on Friday.
These remarks came as President Trump maintained that the ceasefire with Iran remained intact, even after an Iranian attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military confirmed it conducted strikes on Iranian military positions in retaliation, while Iran claimed that the U.S. had initiated the conflict.
