Saudi Arabia threatens war with Qatar in case of S-400 purchase
Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he stated that Riyadh is ready to launch a military operation against Qatar, if Qatar purchases Russia's S-400 missile system.
 |
| Russia's S-400 system. Photo: Sputnik |
Earlier, Qatar's ambassador to Moscow Fahd al-Attiyah announced the possibility of purchasing a Russian missile defense system.
According to French media reports, the Saudi king's letter expressed deep concern about the ongoing negotiations between Doha and Moscow. He believes that the S-400 deployed on Qatar's territory will affect the security of Saudi Arabia's airspace, and noted that there is a risk of escalating tensions.
In such a situation, "the kingdom is ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defense system, including military action," the monarch wrote.
According to the newspaper, the Saudi king asked President Macron to prevent the sale of S-400s and maintain stability in the region. Meanwhile, Riyadh itself had agreed with Moscow on the transfer of S-400s last year.