In the summer of 1990, a sudden storm swept across the Middle East. Iraq's strongman leader, Saddam Hussein, led an army of 100,000 and swept through the small country of Kuwait like a whirlwind. This raid was not only an invasion of Kuwait, but also a deafening clarion call to war for the entire Middle East, especially neighboring Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, a rich and low-key country, suddenly finds itself in an unprecedented crisis. And at this juncture, huge Dongfeng missiles slowly rolled out of the hidden warehouse, pointing straight at the sky, and their appearance seemed to be an unspoken warning from Saudi Arabia to the outside world.
In the ashes of Kuwait, the Kingdom's decision-makers reacted quickly. They had to deal not only with the aggressiveness of the Iraqi army, but also with pressure and suspicion from both inside and outside the country. The eyes of the world are suddenly focused on this desert kingdom, and everyone is waiting for the next move of Saudi Arabia. Do you choose to go head-to-head, or do you seek diplomatic relief?
Iran's economic blow to Saudi Arabia
In February 1984, the conflict between Iran and Iraq entered its fourth year, and the fighting was fierce and ongoing. In this conflict, which history has known as the "Iran-Iraq War", Saudi Arabia's role and position have been closely watched by all sides. The Iranian side has learned through its intelligence network that Saudi Arabia may be secretly supporting Iraq and helping Iraq maintain its war economy by transporting crude oil. This intelligence has fueled Iran's resentment with Saudi Arabia, which sees its actions as a direct threat to Iran.
Against the background of the war, Iran decided to take active measures to weaken Saudi support for Iraq. The Iranian government sees Saudi oil tankers as a tool to provide economic aid to Iraq, making them a legitimate target for Iranian attacks. Iran, in the name of "reasonable attacks on potentially hostile targets," mobilized its air force and began targeted strikes on Saudi tankers sailing in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Iranian fighter jets and bombers have demonstrated considerable precision and efficiency in carrying out these tasks, causing severe damage or complete destruction of several Saudi tankers loaded with crude oil.
These attacks not only dealt a direct blow to Saudi Arabia's maritime crude oil transportation routes, but also had a profound impact on the international oil market. As one of the world's largest crude oil exporters, the news of the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil tanker quickly spread around the world, causing fluctuations in international crude oil prices and shocking global markets. The Saudi economy has suffered significant losses, with billions of dollars in economic losses putting pressure on the country's finances and economic development.
In the face of this series of attacks by Iran, Saudi Arabia realized that relying on its traditional means of defense alone could no longer ensure the country's security and economic interests. The Saudi leadership began to seek a stronger military force to counter the growing external threat. During this period, Saudi Arabia cooperated more closely with Western countries, especially the United States, in military and security cooperation. Saudi Arabia seeks to purchase more advanced weapons systems to enhance its defense capabilities.
Saudi Arabia's request for U.S. military aid was denied
In 1985, against the backdrop of tensions in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia faced growing security threats, especially from its regional rival, Iran. Saudi Arabia seeks to strengthen its military capabilities to ensure national security and regional stability. In this context, the Saudis made a request to the United States to purchase advanced Lance ballistic missile systems. This ballistic missile has a long-range strike capability and is capable of providing Saudi Arabia with a stronger strategic deterrent.
The Saudi request sparked a heated discussion within the U.S. government. On the one hand, the United States needs to maintain its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, taking into account Saudi Arabia's important position in the Middle East and its influence as a major oil producer, and on the other hand, the United States must consider the impact that Saudi Arabia may have on its relations with Israel by providing advanced weapons systems. Israel is an important ally of the United States in the Middle East, and the U.S. government needs to ensure that its security commitments to Israel are not threatened.
The close relationship between the United States and Israel is an important part of American foreign policy, and any decision that may affect that relationship must be carefully considered. U.S. officials fear that the sale of advanced Lance ballistic missiles to Saudi Arabia could be seen as a threat by Israel and could lead to a change in the military balance in the region, which in turn could increase tensions in the Middle East. In addition, the United States is also concerned that such arms sales could trigger an arms race in the region, leading to increased instability.
After internal assessment and consultation with allies, the United States ultimately decided to reject the Saudi request. The decision sends a clear message that the United States needs to maintain a delicate balance between supporting its allies and maintaining regional stability. While the rejection of Saudi Arabia's request may have some impact on U.S.-Saudi relations in the short term, the U.S. government believes it is necessary to avoid risks that could lead to broader regional conflict and escalation of tensions.
Saudi Arabia was disappointed by this decision of the United States, which also prompted the Saudis to start looking for other potential military partners. Saudi Arabia's security needs have not diminished by the U.S. refusal, but have made Saudi Arabia more eager to seek to build up its military power. Against this background, Saudi Arabia began to engage with other countries, especially China, to explore possible military cooperation.
China-Saudi Arabia military trade cooperation and the "Dongfeng-3" missile
In December 1986, Saudi Arabia and China began historic arms trade talks at an air base in southern Saudi Arabia, marking a new chapter in military cooperation between the two countries. The main topic of the negotiations was Saudi interest in the purchase of Chinese Vostok-3 ballistic missiles. Saudi Prince Sultan, as a senior official for national security and military procurement, played a key referral role. After internal discussions and evaluations, the strategic value of the DF-3 ballistic missile was recognized by the Saudi decision-makers, and King Fahd finally approved the purchase plan.
The DF-3 is the first surface-to-surface medium-range strategic missile designed and manufactured entirely by China, and is of great strategic value. This missile is capable of carrying a conventional high-explosive charge of about 1,500 kg, or three sub-guided nuclear warheads with a yield of 5-100,000 yields, with a range of up to 2,650 to 4,000 km. Saudi Arabia's interest in DF-3 lies mainly in its ability to provide sufficient range and power to cover the entire Middle East region, including Saudi Arabia's potential adversaries.
During the negotiations, the two sides had in-depth discussions on technical details, pricing, delivery schedules, and follow-up support. The Chinese delegation demonstrated the performance parameters and potential tactical advantages of the DF-3 missile, emphasizing that it can provide Saudi Arabia with an effective strategic deterrent tool. The Saudis, for their part, are focused on how to effectively integrate the missile system into its existing defense architecture and how to strengthen its strategic position in the region through this acquisition.
During the negotiations, the two sides also discussed the possibility of related technology transfer and local production, which is an attractive point for Saudi Arabia as it hopes to improve its defense industry capabilities in this way. Training and maintenance support is also a key topic of negotiations, and Saudi Arabia wants to ensure that its operators are adequately trained to ensure the effective operation of the missile system.
In the end, the two sides reached an agreement in which Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase an undisclosed number of DF-3 missiles, a deal that involved not only the missiles themselves, but also related support systems and services. With this procurement, Saudi Arabia has significantly enhanced its strategic deterrence capabilities and is able to more effectively deter potential adversaries in the region, especially in the increasingly tense geopolitical environment in the Middle East.
Saudi missile deterrence and regional stability
In 1990, the situation in the Middle East changed dramatically, and Iraq took swift military action under the leadership of Saddam Hussein. In August, Iraq launched a surprise attack on its neighbour Kuwait with some 100,000 troops. The military operation was swift and decisive, and Kuwait was completely occupied by Iraqi forces almost within 24 hours. This sudden incident shocked the international community and escalated tensions throughout the Middle East.
The fall of Kuwait has forced its neighbor, Saudi Arabia, to face a huge security threat. Saudi Arabia is located on Iraq's southern border, and the success of Saddam's army in Kuwait quickly put Saudi Arabia on high alert. Saudi royal family and military commanders are aware that if Iraq continues to expand its territory, Saudi Arabia could be the next target. Thus, instead of capitulating, as Saddam might have expected, the Saudis moved quickly to defend their territory and sovereignty.
In such an emergency, the Saudi military department quickly launched the preparation process for the missile base. These missiles, especially the DF-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile, purchased from China, are considered important strategic weapons for Saudi Arabia. Their presence provides Saudi Arabia with a strong deterrent capable of carrying out long-range strikes against potential aggressors. Saudi military bases began to operate intensively, missile units were put on high alert, missiles were transferred from storage depots to launch positions, ready to be launched at the necessary moment.
At the same time, Saudi television began to broadcast the entire process of missile delivery and preparation, which is a very rare move. By publicly displaying its military readiness and strategic weapons, Saudi Arabia aims to demonstrate to Iraq its resolve and capabilities, and to show that Saudi Arabia will not easily succumb to external pressure or threats. Television footage shows the transfer of the missiles, from secure storage to launch sites, and every detail is carefully recorded and shown to the public and the international community.
Saudi Arabia's military demonstration quickly attracted widespread attention from the countries of the Middle East. Soon after Saudi television broadcast the entire process of the missile leaving the warehouse and preparing for the launch, the Saudi Defense Ministry's telephone line became busy. Senior officials from Iran, Israel and other Middle Eastern countries have begun to call Saudi Arabia in an attempt to understand the situation and express their concern about the situation. This sudden international focus highlights the impact of Saudi military operations, as well as concerns in the region about Saudi Arabia's potential military capabilities.
Saddam Hussein, while known for his decisive and risky decision-making, had to reconsider his military plans even after the Saudis demonstrated their ballistic missile capabilities. Saddam Hussein and his advisory group realized that any further military action in the face of such an open show of force by Saudi Arabia would be highly uncertain and could lead to serious consequences. In particular, the types of missiles and potential armament that the Saudis have demonstrated remain unknown, adding additional weight to Saudi deterrence.
Against this complex international and regional political backdrop, Saddam Hussein ultimately decided to withdraw his forces and avoid the risk of direct conflict. The decision, while seemingly cautious at the time, actually reflected his concern about the possibility of a larger conflict. The Saudi display of ballistic missiles apparently had a sufficient deterrent effect on Saddam Hussein, forcing him to reassess the potential costs and risks of a military confrontation with the Saudis.
This chain of events eventually brought relative peace and stability to Saudi Arabia in the decades that followed. Saudi Arabia has been able to maintain its national security and sovereignty in a region full of uncertainty and turmoil, and has maintained a long-term stable peace, which is especially rare in a region like the Middle East, which has been full of conflicts in history.
Resources:
1. "The Gulf War 1990-91 in International and English Law" by Peter Rowe.
2. "Saddam's War of Words: Politics, Religion, and the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait" by Jerry Mark Long.
3. "The Iran-Iraq War: A Military and Strategic History" by Williamson Murray and Kevin M. Woods.