Saudis Vow To Retaliate With ‘Greater Action’ If Hit With Sanctions

The shadow of a security guard rests atop the front door of the Saudi consulate Friday in Istanbul. Journalist Jamal Khashoggi vanished after visiting the building earlier this month, and simmering international suspicion puts the Saudi government behind his murde

Yasin Akgul / AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 11:54 p.m. ET

Nearly two weeks since Jamal Khashoggi vanished in Istanbul, the shadow of the Saudi journalist’s disappearance continues to loom ever larger. Now, President Trump is threatening “severe punishment” for Saudi Arabia if suspicions of Khashoggi’s murder are confirmed — and Saudis have vowed to retaliate in kind.

“The Kingdom also affirms that if it receives any action, it will respond with greater action,” Saudi Arabia’s state-run news agency said Sunday, ominously noting that the country plays “an influential and vital role in the global economy.”