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SAUDI ARABIA BREAKING NEWS


Rubio says “hardest hits" yet to come as US urges citizens to leave region
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, is escorted to a secure room in the basement of the Capitol to give a classified intelligence briefing to top lawmakers on the US attack in Iran, on Monday. J. Scott Applewhite/AP Riyadh, March 3, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United States is preparing for a “major uptick” in attacks in Iran over the next 24 hours, a senior U.S. official told CNN on Tuesday, as Israel issued evacuation warnings for residents of a neighbour
Mar 31 min read


US prepares for major increase in strikes in Iran over next 24 hours
SABN Washington, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United States is preparing for a “major uptick” in attacks in Iran over the next 24 hours, a senior U.S. official told CNN on Monday. The official assessed that an initial round of attacks weakened Iranian defences and that the next phase will focus on destroying Iran’s missile production, unmanned aerial vehicles and naval capability. President Donald Trump told CNN that attacks would escalate. “We haven’t eve
Mar 31 min read


US urges citizens to depart Middle East countries due to safety risks
SABN Washington, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United States Department of State urged U.S. citizens on Monday to “DEPART NOW” from countries across the Middle East due to what it called serious safety risks. A post on X by the department’s top official for consular affairs urged Americans to depart using available commercial travel from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sy
Mar 31 min read


Satellite images show aftermath at Saudi Aramco Ras Tanura refinery
The Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia after a drone attack, in Saudi Arabia, March 2, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS Riyadh, March 3, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Satellite images showed the aftermath of an attack at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery on Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast. Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry spokesperson told Al Arabiya TV that two drones targeting the Ras Tanura refinery were intercepted, with debris causing a limited fire. No inj
Mar 31 min read


Rubio says US aims in Iran operation can be met without ground forces
WASHINGTON, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday the Trump administration believes its objectives in the operation against Iran “can be achieved without ground forces,” and warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come.” “Right now, we’re not postured for ground forces, but obviously the president has those options,” Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. “He’s never going to rule out anything.” The focus is on destroy
Mar 31 min read


Rubio says U.S. operation targets Iran missile and naval threats
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to brief House and Senate leaders on US military action in Iran, at the US Capitol on Monday. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Washington, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday the U.S. military operation against Iran is aimed at eliminating the threat from Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles and the threat posed by Iran’s navy, particularly to naval assets. Rubio describe
Mar 21 min read


Kuwait says two naval force servicemembers killed in Middle East conflict
Kuwait City, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Kuwait’s army said two members of its naval force have been killed in the regional conflict in the Middle East. The army identified them as Sergeant Walid Majid Sulaiman and Sergeant Abdulaziz Abdulmohsen Dakhel Naser, saying they were “martyred” while carrying out their duty as part of national missions assigned to the armed forces. The army gave no details on the circumstances of the deaths.
Mar 21 min read


India PM Modi tells Saudi crown prince India rejects Iranian attacks SPA says
SPA Jeddah, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call on Monday from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the two discussed regional developments and what Saudi Press Agency described as a dangerous military escalation threatening security and stability in the region and the world. During the call, Modi said India rejects Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the kingdom, condemning wh
Mar 21 min read


Over 70 missiles and drones hit Erbil Iraqi foreign minister says
SABN Erbil, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – More than 70 missiles and drones hit the city of Erbil in northern Iraq on Monday, Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said, with additional attacks reported in the south and west of the country. In a call with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Hussein said Iraq had “become a victim of this war” and had come under attack by “various parties involved in the conflict,” Iraq’s government said i
Mar 21 min read


Jordan’s King Abdullah speaks with Trump, urges regional calm
Amman, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – His Majesty King Abdullah II spoke by phone on Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump, Jordan’s state news agency reported. King Abdullah II stressed the need to work toward comprehensive calm in the region and rejected Iranian attacks targeting Jordan’s territory and several countries in the region.
Mar 21 min read


Europe and Middle East weigh security and energy risks as leaders urge diplomacy after Iran strike
Brussels, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Countries across Europe and the Middle East reacted on Monday to the escalating conflict triggered by Saturday’s U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, with several urging diplomacy and others focusing on security and energy risks. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a phone call that diplomacy should be given a chance to secure lasting regional peace, according to the Turkish presidenc
Mar 21 min read


Qatar says forces down two Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft, intercept missiles and drones
Doha, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Qatar Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that Qatar Armed Forces shot down two Iranian aircraft and intercepted several missiles and drones targeting the country. A statement carried by Qatar News Agency (QNA) said the Qatar Amiri Air Force downed two Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft approaching from Iran. Air defences intercepted seven ballistic missiles, while five drones were brought down by the air force and the Qatar Amiri Nav
Mar 21 min read


UAE says air defences intercept missiles and drones, reports injuries and fatalities
Abu Dhabi, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United Arab Emirates intercepted nine ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles and 148 drones on Monday, the defence ministry said, reporting 10 minor injuries. Since the start of Iranian attacks, 174 ballistic missiles were detected, with 161 destroyed and 13 falling into the sea. A total of 689 drones were detected, with 645 intercepted and 44 landing inside the country. Eight cruise missiles were detected and destr
Mar 21 min read


Putin tells Saudi crown prince diplomacy needed as Middle East tensions rise Kremlin says
SPA Moscow, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed what the Kremlin described as an escalation in the Middle East linked to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. In its readout, the Kremlin said the two leaders discussed “the escalation in the Middle East as a result of American-Israeli armed aggression” against Iran and that both expressed concern over the ri
Mar 21 min read


Putin discusses Iran crisis with Gulf leaders, warns of wider conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Monday. Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/Reuters Moscow, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone calls on Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kremlin announced. In the call with the Saudi crown prince, seri
Mar 21 min read


Etihad operates evacuation departures from Abu Dhabi as wider flight disruptions persist
Abu Dhabi, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – At least 15 Etihad flights departed Abu Dhabi on Monday to help evacuate passengers stranded at the airport. The flights operated to destinations including Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Cairo and London. Regular commercial flights remained cancelled. Emirates planned to operate limited flights from Monday evening, but it was not immediately clear whether services had resumed.
Mar 21 min read


Putin holds calls with Qatar and Bahrain leaders on expanding hostilities, Kremlin says
Moscow, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone calls with the leaders of Qatar and Bahrain on Monday and discussed the expanding hostilities, the Kremlin said. In the call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Kremlin said both sides voiced concern about escalation risks and the possibility of third countries becoming involved. The Kremlin said the leaders expressed hope that Iranian retaliatory actions would
Mar 21 min read


Saudi foreign minister receives written message from Russia’s Lavrov
SPA Riyadh, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a written message from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation across fields, Saudi Press Agency said on Monday. Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim al-Khuraiji received the message during a meeting in Riyadh with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kozlov. The meeting reviewed bilateral ties an
Mar 21 min read


Iran’s Golestan Palace damaged after US Israeli strike, Mehr reports
"Tiled entrance to the Golestan Palace in Tehran, Iran." FrankvandenBergh/Getty Images Tehran, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was damaged in the aftermath of a U.S.-Israeli strike, semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. The palace’s mirrored throne room was affected, Mehr reported, adding that museum artefacts had previously been moved to a secure vault following January protests and during a 12-day war in June 20
Mar 21 min read


Emirates and Etihad restart limited flights after war-related halt
Dubai, March 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad restarted limited flights on Monday after halting operations due to the ongoing war. The airlines, based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, resumed services on Monday afternoon, with flight-tracking data showing Etihad flights moving first. Dubai’s government announced a limited resumption of operations and advised passengers to go to the airport only if contacted directly.
Mar 21 min read
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