Saudi oil attack drones and missiles launched from Iran
- 5 years ago
SAUDI ARABIA — Investigators in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. say there's a "very high probability" that the Saudi oil attack originated from Iran.
Reuters reports that the Abqaiq oil processing plant and Khurais oil field both run by state-owned company Aramco were set ablaze following drone strikes.
The attack, which occurred early Saturday morning, cut more than half of the country's oil output, or roughly five percent of the global oil supply.
The New York Times reports that satellite images released by the U.S. government show at least 17 points of impact at key infrastructure at the two sites.
Yemen's Houthi rebels had claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the BBC, saying they deployed 10 drones to strike the two oil facilities.
But a source told CNN that U.S. and Saudi investigators have determined that the attack was launched from a base in Iran, close to its border with Iraq. A mix of drones and cruise missiles carried out the strike, flying at a low altitude over southern Iraq and through Kuwait before reaching their targets.
According to CNN's source, the route would have allowed the missiles to avoid passing over U.S. and Saudi radar and air defense systems, which are strongest in the Persian Gulf.
Another source said that images showing the wreckage of a failed missile in the desert appear to be of a Quds 1. While this missile is used by the Houthis, it does not have a range that would allow it to hit from Yemen, 1,300 kilometers away.
The Quds 1, however, is based on an Iranian design, similar to the Iranian cruise missiles Soumar and Hoveyzeh, which are capable of traversing such a long range.
Both the U.S. and Saudi have gone on record to say the projectiles didn't come from Yemeni territory. According to the New York Times, a military spokesman from the Kingdom also said the weapons were Iranian-made.
Still, solid, irrefutable evidence that Iran was behind the attack has yet to come to light.
Reuters reports that the Abqaiq oil processing plant and Khurais oil field both run by state-owned company Aramco were set ablaze following drone strikes.
The attack, which occurred early Saturday morning, cut more than half of the country's oil output, or roughly five percent of the global oil supply.
The New York Times reports that satellite images released by the U.S. government show at least 17 points of impact at key infrastructure at the two sites.
Yemen's Houthi rebels had claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the BBC, saying they deployed 10 drones to strike the two oil facilities.
But a source told CNN that U.S. and Saudi investigators have determined that the attack was launched from a base in Iran, close to its border with Iraq. A mix of drones and cruise missiles carried out the strike, flying at a low altitude over southern Iraq and through Kuwait before reaching their targets.
According to CNN's source, the route would have allowed the missiles to avoid passing over U.S. and Saudi radar and air defense systems, which are strongest in the Persian Gulf.
Another source said that images showing the wreckage of a failed missile in the desert appear to be of a Quds 1. While this missile is used by the Houthis, it does not have a range that would allow it to hit from Yemen, 1,300 kilometers away.
The Quds 1, however, is based on an Iranian design, similar to the Iranian cruise missiles Soumar and Hoveyzeh, which are capable of traversing such a long range.
Both the U.S. and Saudi have gone on record to say the projectiles didn't come from Yemeni territory. According to the New York Times, a military spokesman from the Kingdom also said the weapons were Iranian-made.
Still, solid, irrefutable evidence that Iran was behind the attack has yet to come to light.