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Saudi FM warns Iran that patience in Gulf not ‘unlimited’ amid attacks

What happened

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed qatar-gas-plant-eu-faces-years-long-crisis.html" class="story-link" title="Iran’s strike on Qatar gas facility will reduce supply for 3 to 5 years">Iran has "0% military capability" and that the US is meeting its objectives against Iran. Days later, Iranian-linked attacks hit Saudi oil facilities, contradicting his assessment. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister has now warned Iran that regional patience is not "unlimited" and threatened to activate defense agreements, including potentially with Pakistan.

Why people care
The statements highlight a significant disconnect between official US assessments and ground reality in an increasingly volatile region. With Saudi Arabia now issuing direct warnings to qatar-gas-plant-eu-faces-years-long-crisis.html" class="story-link" title="Iran’s strike on Qatar gas facility will reduce supply for 3 to 5 years">Iran and discussing military partnerships, the situation appears to be escalating rather than being contained as claimed.
The takes
Critics say

Hegseth's assessment of Iran having zero military capability was immediately proven wrong by subsequent attacks on Saudi infrastructure. The timing makes US claims about meeting objectives against Iran appear disconnected from reality on the ground.

Administration says

The US maintains it is successfully meeting its strategic objectives regarding Iran in the region. Defense officials argue that isolated incidents don't negate broader strategic progress in containing Iranian influence.

Sources
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