Iran has insisted that its ongoing missile and drone strikes across the Middle East are directed solely at United States military targets, denying allegations that it deliberately attacked Saudi Arabia during the rapidly escalating regional conflict.

Iranian officials said their operations are designed as a response to large-scale airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel against targets inside Iran.

According to Tehran, the campaign is intended to strike American military infrastructure and personnel deployed throughout the region rather than civilian or allied state facilities.

Authorities in Tehran stated that the strikes were part of what they described as a lawful act of self-defense under international law, aimed at bases and installations connected to U.S. military operations in the Gulf and surrounding areas.

Iranian statements emphasized that American forces and facilities are the primary objectives of the retaliation.

The comments came as several Middle Eastern countries reported missile and drone attacks in recent days, many of them occurring in locations that host U.S. military assets.

Targets have included American air bases and logistical hubs across the Gulf, where U.S. forces maintain a significant presence as part of long-standing security partnerships with regional governments.

Tehran denied that Saudi Arabia itself was the intended target of the strikes.

Iranian officials argued that any projectiles detected over Saudi territory were aimed at U.S. military facilities located there rather than at the kingdom’s infrastructure or population.

Saudi authorities have reported multiple attempted attacks during the conflict, including missiles and drones aimed toward areas around Riyadh and strategic installations in the kingdom’s eastern province.

Saudi defense systems said they intercepted several incoming projectiles before they could cause significant damage.

The dispute over the intended targets highlights the broader regional stakes as the confrontation intensifies.

Several Gulf states host American bases and military personnel, placing them geographically close to potential targets in any confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

The current escalation follows a major joint military operation by the United States and Israel against Iranian facilities, after which Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks against U.S. assets across the Middle East.

Explosions and interceptions have been reported in multiple countries as air-defense systems attempt to stop incoming projectiles.

Diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis have intensified as governments warn that further escalation could draw additional countries into the conflict.

For now, Iran maintains that its operations are aimed strictly at U.S. military targets while rejecting claims that it is deliberately striking Saudi Arabia or other regional states.