Saudi Arabia Turns Away from US as Iran War Exposes Vulnerabilities

Saudi Arabia's relationship with the United States is undergoing a historic reassessment. The country's leaders are losing confidence in America's ability to protect its interests in the region, particularly when it comes to defending its oil infrastructure from Iranian threats.

The US-led war with Iran has demonstrated that even overwhelming military power cannot guarantee the safety of Saudi cities, oil installations, pipelines, and export routes. The attacks on Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Yanbu, and the East-West Pipeline have shown that no shield is perfect, particularly against repeated, low-cost assaults on sprawling infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia's geographical problem is not new. Its fields and processing plants lie near the Gulf, making them vulnerable to Iranian attacks. The country's alternative export route to the Red Sea is also exposed to threats from Yemen. Iran's influence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen gives it the ability to apply pressure around much of the kingdom's perimeter.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund's $2 billion commitment to Jared Kushner's private-equity firm reinforced the impression that Riyadh expected its close connections to the Trump family to bring privileged access and dependable support. However, the 2019 attack on Abqaiq had already demonstrated the limits of the American security guarantee.