Tipsheet

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Urges Trump to Continue Operation Epic Fury

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly urged President Trump to continue with Operation Epic Fury, arguing that the success of the operation is a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East.

From the New York Times who initially reported the conversation:

In a series of conversations over the last week, Prince Mohammed has conveyed to Mr. Trump that he must press toward the destruction of Iran’s hard-line government, the people familiar with the conversations said.

Prince Mohammed, the people familiar with the discussions said, has argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.

However, Saudi officials have rejected the idea that the Crown Prince pushed Trump to continue the war.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always supported a peaceful resolution to this conflict, even before it began,” the Saudi government said in a statement, adding that officials “remain in close contact with the Trump administration and our commitment remains unchanged.”

“Our primary concern today is to defend ourselves from the daily attacks on our people and our civilian infrastructure,” the statement continued. “Iran has chosen dangerous brinkmanship over serious diplomatic solutions. This harms every stakeholder involved, but none more than Iran itself.”

This comes as several Gulf countries have signaled they may join the United States and Israel in Operation Epic Fury, viewing its success as a way to push Iran out as a dominant regional power and open the door for less radical, more Western-aligned nations to play a larger role. The result could mean greater stability in the Middle East, reduced alignment with China, and more reliable oil markets.