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| Pictured from left to right: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. |
September 18, 2019
By Faris K. Barhoum
This past Saturday, [September 14, 2019] the ARAMCO oil facility in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia was attacked and bombed by drones. Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of carrying out the attack. The attack dealt a significant blow to Saudi oil production and rocked the financial markets. Saudi Aramco officials have stated that the attacks on its plants in Abqaiq and Khurais were "a result of terrorist attacks with projectiles," and the Houthi rebel movement in Yemen took responsibility for the attack (NPR, 2). Saudi Arabia has been at war with Yemen since the spring of 2015 fighting Houthi rebels, which are allegedly trained and backed by Iran. Saudi Arabia and Iran have had a regional rivalry in the Persian Gulf or Arabian Gulf for decades. Both countries are supporting proxies in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
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| The Saudi Aramco Oil Facility, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia burning after being attacked on Saturday, September 14, 2019. |
The U.S. Defense Department stated today, [September 17, 2019] that "U.S. surveillance satellites detected Iran readying drones and missiles at launch sites in Iran before Saudi oil facilities were attacked on Saturday." The Defense Department has yet to release any imagery. Additionally, Defense Department officials have told NPR, "that U.S. intelligence views the activity as 'circumstantial evidence' that Iran launched the strike from its own soil" (Ibid, 2). The Houthi rebel movement in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack as previously stated, but American officials have claimed Iran played a major role in Saturdays attack on ARAMCO. Iran denied taking part in the attack.
The U.S. Defense Department "has sent a forensic team to Saudi Arabia to examine wreckage of drones and missiles used in the attack." Intelligence experts believe that "examinations could provide 'compelling and convincing' evidence that Iran was behind the attack" (Ibid, 2). As of Tuesday, [September 17, 2019] Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated Iran "will hold no talks at any level with the U.S." Khamenei blamed the Trump administration "for requiring too many conditions," as it pertains to coming to the negotiating table with the United States (Ibid, 3). Some had mentioned the U.S. and Iran could hold an upcoming meeting in New York at the coming U.N. General Assembly in New York.
As of late, the Trump administration has imposed crippling sanctions in an effort to force Iran to end its support for militant groups and proxies throughout the Arab world, and to make Iran end its development of ballistic missiles. The Trump administration pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal last year, which many believe was a mistake and has brought on renewed tension between Iran and the United States. Many analysts are worried that Washington and Tehran's rhetoric, coupled with attacks such as these, could lead to a regional conflict in the Arab world. Many in the international community and in the Arab world are anxiously waiting to see what comes next.
Article,
NPR.com. "U.S. Satellites Detected Iran Readying Weapons Ahead Of Saudi Strike, Officials Say."
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/17/761539212/saudi-crisis-irans-supreme-leader-says-no-talks-with-u-
s-during-u-n-visit. 9/17/19.
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