The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told Fox News’ Trey Yingst that its infantry and tank forces entered the Gaza Strip on Friday to conduct localized incursions, but had yet begun their long-awaited invasion of the area.
Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had already spoken to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a bid to prevent further violence in the region.
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One of the sources said the talks may not continue for now and that Saudi Arabia will prioritize concessions for the Palestinian people when talks resume.
FILE – This record-breaking May 30, 2017 photo shows Saudi Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi officials arrested two members of the royal circle of relatives who allegedly plotted to overthrow King Salman and his son designated to succeed him, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Friday, March 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, Pool, Dossier)
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Raisi’s appeal to the crown prince was aimed at supporting “Palestine and preventing the spread of war in the region,” adding that the appeal was “good and promising. “
An Iranian official said the call lasted forty-five minutes and had the blessing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Israeli and Saudi leaders have touted progress toward a normalization agreement, which would have had consequences for the region.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is addressing a rite at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque marking the third anniversary of the death of the late Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Iraq in a U. S. drone strike in 2020. (Sobhan Farajvan/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Some experts have warned that the attack came in reaction to recent reports, adding a Fox News interview with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Saudi Arabia and Israel were close to a point of agreement on normalizing relations.
The move would have been a primary victory for the parties involved, a primary setback for Iran, which has long supported Hamas terrorism in Gaza.
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Saudi Arabia’s first statements following the announcement of the attack in Israel gave the impression of blaming Israel for the conflict, referring to its beyond “warnings” to Israel regarding the solution to the Palestinian people, and the Foreign Ministry said it was “closely following developments. “””.
Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. Hamas militants, rulers of the Gaza Strip, carried out an unprecedented multi-pronged attack on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several places, killing many and taking prisoners. Palestinian health officials have reported many deaths as a result of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. (AP Photo/Fatima Chbair)
This prompted complaints from U. S. officials. Lindsey Graham, R-S. C. , revealed that he told a senior Saudi official on Saturday that “if you need a general relationship with the United States, that’s not a general matrix. “
The U. S. has sought to further expand ties between Israel and other major Arab countries in the region through the Abraham Accords, which were first reached under the Trump administration. Signatories include Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.
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Saudi Arabia had reached an initial deal in August, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal at the time. The deal would include concessions to the Palestinians, but it would also include U. S. assistance in building a civilian nuclear program in Saudi Arabia. and with U. S. security guarantees.
U. S. officials reportedly told the Journal that Biden is targeting Saudi Arabia to assure them that he will stay at an economic and military distance from China.
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Reuters contributed to this report.
Peter Aitken is a reporter for Fox News Digital who focuses on national news.