Iran warned US allies it will hit them if they aid an attack - WSJ

Iran conveyed to its Arab and regional neighbors that they would face retaliation if US or Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic used their territory or air space, the Wall Street Journal reported citing Arab officials.

The warnings could mean any escalation to flaring Iranian-Israeli tensions could draw in other countries in the critical oil-exporting region.

"Iran has warned it would respond with devastating hits on Israel’s civilian infrastructure, and would retaliate against any Arab state that facilitated the attack," the daily reported.

Some US allies in the region have conveyed to Washington that they disapprove of Israeli or American use of their airspace for any attack on Iran or having their land used as a launchpad for any strike, the paper added, citing US defense officials.

Israel has vowed a painful retaliation for an Oct. 1 Iranian attack with nearly 200 ballistic missiles, while the United States has publicly urged its ally in the region to carry out a proportional response that avoids nuclear and oil sites.

Arab states astride the Persian Gulf including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have refused to let Israel use their air space in any attack, Reuters reported on Wednesday citing Arab officials.

The US allies are lobbying Washington to prevent Israel from striking oil facilities in Iran for fear that their own oil infrastructure would be hit in a counterattack.

Much of the oil market's spare capacity lies with Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region. 

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia has had a political rapprochement with Tehran since 2023 which has helped ease regional tensions, but relations remain strained.

Saudi Arabia has been wary of an Iranian strike on its oil facilities since a 2019 attack on its key refinery at Abqaiq briefly shut down more than 5% of global oil supply. Iran denied involvement.