One year ago, Saudi Arabia and Israel were close to finalizing a deal that could have reshaped the Middle East and increased Iran’s isolation.
This week, however, Saudi Arabia and Iran held their first joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, signaling a warming of relations between the long-time rivals, as confirmed by Saudi armed forces spokesperson Turki al-Malki.
Despite Iran and Saudi Arabia’s history of supporting opposing sides in regional conflicts, their relations were restored last year through a China-mediated agreement.
The U.S. has sought a separate peace deal that would normalize Saudi ties with Israel, but Saudi Arabia’s recent alignment seems aimed at balancing interests with both Iran and Israel.
The joint drills follow a recent Iranian naval exercise with Russia and Oman, where Saudi Arabia and other nations observed.
These developments occur against a complex backdrop: Saudi Arabia has fought the Iran-supported Houthis in Yemen since 2015, while the U.S. has recently increased operations in Yemen due to Houthi activity.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia’s stance toward Israel has shifted, with the kingdom now requiring Palestinian statehood as a precondition for normalization.
Although the Biden administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both worked toward a Saudi-Israeli agreement, October’s Hamas attacks disrupted progress.
However, U.S. officials, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, are cautiously hopeful, suggesting Saudi Arabia could play a pivotal role in Gaza’s post-war rebuilding and stability.
