Strikes were 'tit-for-tat' for Iranian attacks on kingdom; UAE, which similarly struck Islamic Republic before and after truce, said to have coordinated at least one attack with Israel

This is the first known instance of the kingdom directly striking Iranian targets and points to a more assertive posture by Riyadh in responding to regional threats.

The Saudi attacks, not previously reported, mark the first time that the kingdom is known to have directly carried out military action on Iranian soil and show it is becoming much bolder in defending itself.

Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia carried out covert retaliatory airstrikes inside Iran after repeated missile and drone attacks on the kingdom. The strikes were followed by diplomatic engagement and an informal understanding to limit further escalation.