Saudi Arabia, UAE losing patience — could formally join war if Iran strikes energy or water infrastructure, Bloomberg reports

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have taken concrete steps toward joining the US-Israel war on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on March 24, citing people familiar with the matter. Saudi Arabia agreed to give the US military access to King Fahd Air Base in Taif, Mecca Province — an apparent reversal after Riyadh had previously stated its bases could not be used to attack its longtime rival Iran. A source cited by WSJ said it is 'only a matter of time' before Saudi Arabia enters the war more actively. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan had said last week that Saudi Arabia's 'patience for Iranian attacks is not unlimited.' The UAE took a separate but symbolically significant step by closing an Iranian-owned hospital and club — undercutting a key source of Iranian logistical and soft-power support within the UAE. Separately, UAE air defences have engaged 352 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,789 UAVs since the conflict began, with 2 military deaths and 6 civilian deaths confirmed. US access to King Fahd Air Base would significantly expand the operational envelope for US strikes on Iran, placing US aircraft ~1,400 km from Tehran — meaningfully closer than the Gulf carrier positions or Diego Garcia. The move signals a potential coalition broadening that Iran has repeatedly warned against.