Overview
- The New York Times reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman privately urged President Donald Trump to "continue hitting the Iranians hard."
- Riyadh rejected the report, with a Saudi official saying the kingdom does not encourage prolonging the fighting and supports stability.
- White House officials told the NYT that Trump has been speaking regularly with Arab leaders during the conflict, with MBS described as particularly prominent in those contacts.
- The U.S.–Israel–Iran war is in its third week with more than 2,100 people killed, including 13 Americans, according to figures cited in the reporting.
- Oil prices have moved toward $100 a barrel and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted after Israeli strikes on Iranian oil storage were followed by drone attacks on Saudi and UAE energy infrastructure.