A report by The New York Times stated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged former U.S. President Donald Trump to continue strong military pressure on Iran. The report cited White House officials saying that the prince's advice reflects what the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz said in 2008 when he urged Washington to "cut off the head of the snake," referring to the need to curb Iran's regional influence. These statements come at a time when the conflict that erupted on February 28 is expanding to include several Gulf states. Iranian forces have launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE in response to Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian fuel depots near Tehran earlier this month. These strikes caused massive fires in the Iranian capital and led to a significant rise in global oil prices. For its part, Saudi and Emirati air defense systems intercepted a large number of drones coming from Iran, some of which targeted the Port of Fujairah, one of the region's most important oil ports. Experts warn that continued escalation could widen the scope of the war if diplomatic efforts for de-escalation are not quickly resumed.🇸🇦