Saudi Arabia has warned the US of an attack by Iran on targets in the kingdom. The US and Middle Eastern militaries are on high alert.
This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.
In response to the US warning, Saudi Arabia and several neighboring countries raised the level of readiness of their military forces. Saudi officials have said Iran is ready to attack both the kingdom and Iraq to divert attention from the domestic protests sweeping the country.
The White House National Security Council said it was concerned by the warnings and prepared to respond if Iran launched an attack. "We are concerned about the threat picture, and we remain in constant contact through military and intelligence channels with the Saudis,” said a National Security Council spokesperson.
Last month, the commander of Iranʼs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps publicly warned Saudi Arabia of "the need to curb coverage of protests in Iran by satellite news channels," including Iran International, which is popular with many Iranians.
"This is our last warning, because you are interfering in our internal affairs through these media," said Major General Hossein Salami.
- In September, Iran was engulfed in mass protests, which began after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the morality police for wearing a hijab "incorrectly". According to eyewitnesses, she was beaten on the head with a baton, and then her head was hit against a car. The girl was taken to the station, from where she was taken to the hospital in a coma. She died in a few days.
- According to unofficial data, as a result of the protests, more than 200 people died and more than a thousand were arrested. The Iranian authorities accused the USA, Israel and Saudi Arabia of inciting the protests.