NEW YORK – Iran has warned Saudi Arabia and Qatar that if either country allows Israel to use its airspace, Tehran may retaliate directly against those Gulf nations, according to informed Arab government officials speaking to WND.

One official said that in talks with Gulf nations, Iran “hinted” that a couple of Iranian missiles “may lose their way” and strike Qatar, Saudi Arabia or any other Gulf nation that allows Israel to use its airspace in any attack against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Such threats may help to account for a reported change in Saudi Arabia’s attitude toward an Israeli strike on Iran.

Last week, Israel’s Yedioth Aharonot newspaper reported Saudi Arabia informed the Jewish state that it would intercept any Israeli aircraft crossing its airspace en route to Iran.

According to the report, the message was transmitted via the United States during talks with Obama administration officials in Jerusalem.

Saudi Arabia does not maintain an open diplomatic relationship with Israel. But the Sunni Muslim country, together with Qatar, Jordan and other moderates, views itself as threatened by the growing and opposing influence of Iran, dominated by Shiite Islam.

There have been multiple reports of Saudi cooperation with Israel on the Iranian nuclear issue.

There were claims in both 2009 and 2010 that then-Mossad chief Meir Dagan met with Saudi intelligence officials.

One report said Dagan went to Saudi Arabia in 2009 to gain assurances that the country would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets violating Saudi airspace during any raid on Iran’s nuclear plans. Both governments denied the reports. (© 2012 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc. 08/17/12)