Saudi Crown Prince Urged Trump to Intensify Strikes Against Iran, New York Times Reports

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intensify strikes against Iran, according to a New York Times report citing unnamed U.S. officials.

The crown prince has been in regular contact with Trump during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the report said. He advised continuing forceful military action amid the escalating war involving Israel and the United States.

The message echoed previous advice from Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah, who urged Washington to "cut off the head of the snake," a phrase from diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks in 2010. Those cables revealed that several Gulf leaders had encouraged stronger U.S. action against Iran's nuclear program.

The conflict has seen strikes on military and strategic targets across the region by both sides. In response to earlier attacks by the United States and Israel, Iran has launched missile and drone strikes against several targets, including one near the U.S. embassy area in Riyadh.

Saudi officials have not publicly commented on the reported contacts or the urging for stronger military action.

Gulf states have long viewed Iran's regional influence and nuclear ambitions as major security concerns, which has shaped their diplomatic and security relations with Washington. The report underscores the complex regional dynamics and the involvement of regional powers in the conflict's direction.