Washington, March 16, 2026 — Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been privately urging U.S. President Donald Trump to continue aggressive military strikes on Iran, telling him to “keep hitting the Iranians hard,” as the U.S.-Israeli war against Tehran enters its third week.
The advice, first reported by The New York Times on March 15, comes from multiple White House officials familiar with the conversations. It echoes the longstanding position of late Saudi King Abdullah, who repeatedly pressed Washington to “cut off the head of the snake” in dealing with Iran.
Trump speaks regularly with the Saudi Crown Prince as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the conflict, which the United States and Israel launched in late February with the goals of destroying Iran’s nuclear programme, crippling its military infrastructure and removing its top leadership.
Significant progress has been reported: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, much of its missile arsenal, air defences and navy have been destroyed, and Iranian missile and drone attacks have dropped sharply (by 90% and 95% respectively). However, Iran’s theocracy remains in place under Khamenei’s injured son, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and allied militias still operational.
The war has claimed more than 2,100 lives, including 1,348 Iranian civilians, and 13 U.S. service members. Iran has responded with asymmetric tactics, including cyberattacks, sea mines and strikes that have nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz — a vital global oil chokepoint. Oil prices have surged to $100 per barrel, disrupting international shipping and energy markets. A recent Iranian drone attack also hit a major oil port in the United Arab Emirates.
While Gulf states have largely stayed out of the fighting publicly, the Crown Prince’s private counsel reflects deep regional concern over Iran’s influence. Trump faces a stark choice: press on with riskier operations — such as seizing Iran’s near-bomb-grade nuclear fuel stockpiles or controlling its oil exports — or risk leaving a weakened but still dangerous adversary intact.
The New York Times report notes that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and other senior U.S. officials believe Iran’s conventional forces are now “combat-ineffective,” but the conflict continues to extract a heavy economic and strategic price.
No official comment has been issued by the Saudi government or the White House on the reported advice. The developments come as Trump has also publicly called on allies including China, Britain, France, Japan and South Korea to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.
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