The countries have long worried about being sucked into regional war as they juggle relations with Washington, their security guarantor, while seeking to improve ties with Tehran.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates condemned Iran’s missile attack on Monday evening against the Al Udeid US military base in Qatar. Riyadh called the strikes an “aggression” against Doha and were “unacceptable and cannot be justified”.

The US moved aircraft and heavy equipment from Qatar's Al-Udeid base to stations in Saudi Arabia in the lead up to Iran's retaliatory strike, an official from the region told Middle East Eye.