The US-Saudi nuclear deal signals a Middle East betting on deterrence

The US-Saudi nuclear deal signals a Middle East betting on deterrence Submitted by Mohamad Elmasry on Sat, 07/25/2026 - 06:27 After the US-Israel war on Iran, governments across the region increasingly view nuclear capability as the surest guarantee of survival Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with US President Donald Trump on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC on 18 November, 2025 (AFP) On News of a US-Saudi civilian nuclear deal caused anger in Israel on Wednesday, with Israeli political leaders flocking to social media to say they feared the deal could put Saudi Arabia on the fast track to a nuclear weapon. But a Thursday morning social media post by US President Donald Trump may have assuaged at least some Israeli anxieties. Trump's Truth Social post stated that the nuclear deal would prohibit uranium enrichment and require Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel.