Abqaiq–Khurais attack
Abqaiq–Khurais attack | |
---|---|
Part of the Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict (spillover of the Yemeni Civil War) and the 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis[1] | |
Type | Drone attack |
Location | |
Target | Saudi Aramco facilities |
Date | 14 September 2019 c. 04:00 a.m. (SAST, UTC+3) |
Executed by | Houthis (claimed responsibility, denied by United Nations investigators)[2] Iran (per Saudi and United States officials and United Nations investigators; denied by Iran)[3] |
Outcome | |
Casualties | Unknown injured |
On 14 September 2019, drones were used to attack oil processing facilities at Abqaiq (Arabic: بقيق, romanized: Buqaiq) and Khurais (خريص) in eastern Saudi Arabia. The facilities were operated by Saudi Aramco, the country's state-owned oil company. The Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibility, tying it to events surrounding the Saudi intervention in the Yemeni Civil War and stating they used ten drones in the attack launched from Yemen, south of the facilities. Saudi Arabian officials said that many more drones and cruise missiles were used for the attack and originated from the north and east, and that they were of Iranian manufacture. The United States and Saudi Arabia have stated that Iran was behind the attack while France, Germany, and the United Kingdom jointly stated Iran bears responsibility for it. Iran has denied any involvement. The situation exacerbated the 2019 Persian Gulf crisis.
The attack caused large fires at the processing facility, which were put out several hours later, according to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior. Both facilities were shut down for repairs, cutting Saudi Arabia's oil production by about half – representing about five percent of global oil production – and causing some destabilization of global financial markets. The Ministry of Energy said that the country would tap into its oil reserves to maintain export levels until the facilities return to full capacity by the end of September.
Background
[edit]Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter,[9] having produced about 12 million barrels of petroleum products per day in 2017.[10] Its proven oil reserves are the second-largest of any country, after Venezuela, and represent about 16% of the world's total.[10]
Saudi Aramco, a national oil company owned by the Saudi Arabian government, operates several oil drilling, transport, and production facilities across Saudi Arabia. It is the second-largest oil producer in the world, behind Russia's Rosneft.[10]
Aramco says the Abqaiq facility is "the largest crude oil stabilization plant in the world"; it converts sour crude into sweet crude oil by removing sulfur impurities before it is transported to downstream refineries, processing more than 7 million barrels of oil per day, about 7% of global oil production.[11][12] Bob McNally, a former member of the United States' National Economic Council and National Security Council, told Reuters that "a successful attack on Abqaiq would be akin to a massive heart attack for the oil market and global economy".[13] The Abqaiq facility had been the site of a failed suicide bombing by Al-Qaeda in 2006.[11] The Khurais oil field, also operated by Aramco, produces about 1.5 million barrels of crude a day, and is estimated to hold up to 20 billion barrels of oil.[5][11]
The Abqaiq oil facility was protected by three Skyguard short-range air defense batteries.[14] Neither the Skyguards nor the other Saudi air-defense weapons — MIM-104 Patriot and Shahine (Crotale) — are known to have brought down any of the attacking weapons. A CNBC report offered multiple potential explanations, including that Patriot is optimized for interceping "high-altitude ballistic missiles" and that the Saudi troops operating the defenses "have 'low readiness, low competence, and are largely inattentive.'"[14] The Guardian newspaper wrote that the defenses "would likely have been pointed across the Gulf towards Iran and south towards Yemen, but at least some of the missiles and drones are believed to have struck from the west."[15] On 26 September 2019 Defense News published remarks by the Israeli air and missile defense expert Uzi Rubin, in which he characterized the Abqaiq–Khurais attack as "a kind of 'Pearl Harbor,'" saying "it will spark a lot of solutions" to the tactic of using unmanned aerial vehicle swarms plus low-altitude, high-speed cruise missiles.[16]
Attacks
[edit]External videos | |
---|---|
Fire at Saudi Arabia's oil facilities after drone attack, via Mehr News Agency |
At around 4:00 a.m. Saudi Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), Saudi Aramco reported fires at its Abqaiq facility as well as its Khurais facility. These facilities are several hundred kilometres distant from each other.[12] At the time, about 200 people were in the Khurais facility, according to Aramco officials.[17] The fires were contained a few hours later, according to officials. Though no fatalities were reported in the incidents, it was left unclear whether anyone was injured in the attacks.[18]
Saudi Arabia's interior ministry said a few hours later that the fires were "a result of ... drones".[12] Several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) were reported to be involved. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, stated that 25 drones and missiles were used.[19] Guards at the facilities reportedly tried to bring down the drones with machine gun fire, as captured on surveillance recordings of the facilities.[18] According to Aramco, the drone strikes were in at least two waves; as they were evacuating the Khurais facility and dealing with fires from the first attack, another round of drones struck the facility.[17]
Analysis of satellite images of the Abqaiq facility before and after the attacks appear to show 19 individual strikes: 14 that punctured storage tanks, three that disabled oil processing trains, and two more that damaged no equipment.[20][21] A US interim report found that the attacks originated from the north.[22]
According to the NCRI, the attack came from the Omidiyeh military base in Ahvaz.[23][24]
UAV defense
[edit]Saudi Arabia's missile defense system failed to stop the swarm of drones and cruise missiles that struck the oil infrastructure.[19] It is reported that Saudi Arabia has at least one MIM-104 Patriot missile defense system in place at Abqaiq.[19] The missile defense system used was designed to mitigate threats from "high flying targets".[19] Unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles fly at an altitude too low to be detected by conventional radar systems.[19] A swarm of drones and cruise missiles coming from multiple directions can confuse and jam radar, as well as overwhelm air defenses.[25] In addition to the Patriot system, at least four shorter-range defense systems were present, yet also failed to detect and mitigate the drone attack.[19] Drones are too difficult to detect by traditional methods; drones are also cheap and extremely accessible.[26] The drones used may have cost around $15,000 or less to build.[27] According to Justin Bronk, research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, "the cost curve is very favorable to the attacker, meaning Saudi Arabia would have to spend far more than its enemies to protect against additional strike capabilities. As such, there is almost no way the Kingdom can completely defend against such attacks."[25]
Attackers
[edit]In an initial report on 14 September 2019, the Saudi Arabian interior ministry did not identify the source of the attack, but stated they had begun an investigation.[18] A statement from the French Foreign Minister in the early stages after the attack came on 17 September 2019, when he said ""The Houthis ... announced that they launched this attack. That lacks credibility," but he went on to reference an ongoing international investigation, saying "let's wait for its results."[28][29]
Hours after the attack, the Houthis said in a statement that they sent ten newly developed drones equipped with propeller and turbojet engines[30] to disable the oil production facilities, and vowed to send more against a wider range of Saudi targets. They said they attacked in retaliation for the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, which began in 2015, has killed thousands of Yemeni civilians, and has created a famine and a humanitarian crisis described in 2019 as the worst in the world.[31][32][33][13] A military spokesman for the Houthis said, "These attacks are our right, and we promise the Saudi regime that the next operation will be wider and more painful if blockade and aggression continues".[11][34]
In the weeks before the Abqaiq–Khurais attack, similar drone strikes on Saudi Arabian oil production infrastructure had caused no significant damage.[18] The frequency of Houthi attacks increased throughout 2019,[11][35] with the targets including a Saudi airport.[36][37]
The military spokesman said that the Sept. 14 attacks came after a "careful intelligence operation, prior monitoring and cooperation from honorable and freedom-seeking people within the kingdom".[38] The use of operatives inside Saudi Arabia would appear to address some of the technical objections about how the Houthis could have struck targets at such a distance.[39]
On 16 September, the Houthis warned of more attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure, and warned foreigners to leave Saudi oil plants.[40]
They had displayed some of their long-range UAVs to the media in July 2019. The range of the drones reportedly can reach distant areas in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Houthis had often used Samad 1 to attack Saudi Arabia. Later, the Houthis used the Quds 1,[41] which is a small ground launched cruise missile that was possibly used in the 12 June 2019 Abha International Airport attack, which occurred in southwestern Saudi Arabia.[42][43][44][45] A Houthi leader, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, said that they have "exploited vulnerabilities in the Saudi defense system" and they "built their drones in order to avoid these systems, therefore, the Saudi and the Emirati airspace became open to us after their defense system failed to even spot our drones".[46]
Houthi rebels have previously advocated targeting Aramco. The Rapidan Energy Group and the Center for Strategic and International Studies had both warned that the site of the attack was a vulnerable target.[47][48][49][50]
At a press conference on 18 September, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said that they had launched a serious attack and Americans were using fabricated satellite images in an attempt to portray the resulting damage as having been minimal. He presented aerial photos of the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, from before the attack, and said that they had been taken by Yemeni drones. He said that the Houthis had launched the attack from three locations. Third-generation Qasif drones were launched from one position, Samad-3 drones from a second position, and from a third position they had launched newly developed drones which use cluster heads, capable of dropping four accurate, independently targeted bombs. He said that they would soon display these newly developed drones. He stated that they were now capable of manufacturing drones rapidly.[51][52][53]
Yahya Sarea threatened the United Arab Emirates which is part of the Saudi-led coalition, saying that they have a list of targets inside the UAE among them Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He said if the UAE "wants peace to its buildings which are made of glass and can't handle an attack by the Yemeni drones then leave Yemen alone".[54][55] In response, UAE officials told The Telegraph newspaper that an attack by Houthis on tourism and global business hubs, would be an attack on the world.[56]
Jean-Yves Le Drian, France's Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated on 19 September that preliminary findings from the investigation appear to rule out the Houthis' involvement and their claim "lacks credibility", but there would be no definitive conclusion until the international investigation is complete.[28]
Officials for the United States had rejected the Houthis' claims, and instead said that Iran was responsible for the attacks. In the months prior, tensions between Iran and the United States created a crisis in the Persian Gulf, coupled with Iran's violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action related to their nuclear program in July 2019. On the day of the attacks, an unnamed senior U.S. official said that Iran, not the Houthis, were behind the attack, which involved some dozen cruise missiles and more than 20 drones.[57] The U.S. said that it was working with Saudi Arabia to help investigate the attack and assure the facilities and energy supplies are secure and stable; US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Iran was behind the attacks.[5][58] US President Donald Trump initially stopped short of definitively blaming Iran for the attack, saying in an 18 September 2019 Newsweek article that "it was 'looking like' Iran was behind the attack."[59]
Royal Saudi Air Force Colonel Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, issued a statement on 16 September saying that the drones appear to have been based on Iranian drones and that they were unlikely to have been launched from Yemen, counter to the claims of the Houthis. However, al-Malki said the coalition was still trying to determine the origin of the drones.[60] At a press conference on 18 September, al-Malki showed debris of the drones, stating there were 18 drones and 7 missiles used in the attack (25 weapons in total), with the drones being delta wing-style craft of Iranian manufacture. Al-Malki showed surveillance footage that had, according to him, caught the drones traveling southward towards the facilities before the strike. He stated that this ruled out Yemen as a point of origin due to the range they would have had to have travelled. He concluded that this evidence "point[s] to Iran", and that the attack was "unquestionably sponsored by Iran".[61][62] Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami stated in response to this new evidence, "These accusations are wholly, seriously and firmly rejected. It's easy to accuse someone without providing any proof."[62]
On 17 September 2019, an unnamed senior U.S. official told CBS News that the U.S. had identified the location in Southern Iran from which they believe the drones and cruise missiles were launched,[12] while two U.S. Department of Defense officials told NPR that they had detected Iran preparing drone flights at multiple launch sites in Iran before the attack.[63] Saudi Arabia has not reached the same conclusion that Iran was the staging ground for the attacks,[64] becoming increasingly confident[65] but not totally convinced,[66] with the United States due to share more intelligence with Saudi Arabia. The United States stated it would provide evidence at the 2019 United Nations General Assembly that the attack involved cruise missiles from Iran.[67] For example, the United States has stated it has "circumstantial evidence" that Iran launched the strike from its own soil in the form of satellite imagery which shows Iran readying drones and missiles at launch sites in Iran before Saudi oil facilities were attacked.[68]
Late on 18 September, a U.S. official speaking to CBS News said that Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei had signed off on the attacks but only on the assurance that the method of the attack would allow Iran to deny involvement. Coupled with the Saudi evidence, the U.S. official stated that some of the attacks were launched from the Iranian Ahvaz Air Force Base, about 400 miles (640 km) from the targets, and flew through Kuwaiti air space.[69]
France, Germany and the United Kingdom, who had been trying to calm relations between the United States and Iran, made statements reported on 17 and 18 September 2019 to the effect that they would conduct an investigation prior to announcing conclusions.[70][71][72] On 23 September, while meeting at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement "It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation." The three leaders committed to continuing their investigation on the attack and urged Iran to alter their course to avoid elevating further hostilities in the areas.[73][74][75]
Iran has denied these statements and said that they were "blind, incomprehensible and meaningless"[32] and warned the U.S. that it was "ready for fully-fledged war" with them should there be retaliation against Iran.[76] Instead, Iran stated that the Houthis (whom they reportedly support in the Yemeni Civil War) were responsible for the attack. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has stated that "Yemeni people are exercising their legitimate right of defence... the attacks were a reciprocal response to aggression against Yemen for years."[77] The Iranian Ministry of Defence has also rejected the statements about Iranian involvement and said, "the issue is very clear: there has been a conflict between two countries (Yemen and Saudi Arabia)".[78]
In December 2019, the UN said that its investigation was not able to confirm the Saudi official claim that the weapons used in the attack are of Iranian origin.[79] According to a confidential report by U.N. sanctions monitors seen by Reuters said that "despite their claims to the contrary, the Houthi forces did not launch the attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais on 14 September 2019."[80]
According to a report by the Middle East Eye, an anonymous Iraqi intelligence official said the attacks were launched from Southern Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces bases in retaliation to Israeli drone strikes on the Iraqi forces in August that were reportedly funded by Saudi Arabia.[81] A CBS correspondent stated that the damage at the Abqaiq facilities reportedly was on the western-northwestern portions, which would have been difficult for the Houthis, located to the southwest, to have hit with drones.[82] The BBC reported that satellite images showed damage on the western side of Abqaiq.[83]
The office of the Prime Minister of Iraq denied that its territory was used to carry out the attacks and vowed to act "decisively" against anyone using Iraqi territory to attack other countries.[84] The U.S. has also stated that Iraqi territory was not used.[85]
Aftermath
[edit]Market impacts
[edit]Saudi Arabian officials stated that the attacks forced the shutdown of the facilities, cutting the country's oil production from 9.8 to about 4.1 million barrels of oil a day, losing 5.7 million barrels of oil a day or about 5% of global production. Initially, spokespeople stated that the plants were expected to return to their nominal capacity by 16 September 2019, and would use reserve oil to make up for the shortfall.[5] However, other officials for the Saudi government estimated the time to restore full production would be "weeks, not days".[86]
The day after the attack, the Saudi stock market fell 2.3% in Sunday trading on 15 September.[87] Commodities and stock markets as well as other financial indicators jumped on worldwide market openings on Monday, 16 September. Brent Crude oil futures prices surged almost 20 percent,[86] the largest surge in the commodity's price since the 1990 Invasion of Kuwait.[88] Other markets also saw impacts from concerns on the oil supply, including U.S. gasoline and heating oil,[86] and the gold market.[89] Impact to the U.S., which had doubled its oil production in the last decade and was now the world's largest producer, was expected to be immaterial.[90]
By Tuesday, 17 September, Saudi Arabian officials from the energy ministry stated that the repairs to the Abqaiq facility will be much faster than originally anticipated.[8] The Abqaiq facility was operating at 2 million barrels per day within 48 hours of the attack.[17] The energy ministry said full production could be restored within two to three weeks, by the end of September.[8][91] Further, the nation planned no reduction of current oil exports, and will use reserve storage to maintain the current levels.[92] These announcements were seen to help calm markets, as oil market prices and other financial indicators dropped during trading on 17 September from the spike the previous day, though still remained at elevated levels which are expected to have impacts on prices across the globe.[93] To expedite repairs, Aramco shipped in equipment from the United States and Europe.[17]
The state-owned Saudi Aramco had been in the initial stages of planning its initial public offering (IPO) of about 5% of the company ownership of the estimated US$1.5–2 trillion valuation of the company over the next few years. This IPO was originally to have started in 2018 but there were concerns about its finances and corporate structure. The September 2019 attacks further delayed this IPO until new concerns related to security against terrorism attacks and the ability to restore production after such an incident were proven, as well as the impact on the price of oil.[94] The IPO was launched in December 2019, with 1.5% of the company put to public trading on the Tadawul exchange; it became the largest IPO ever at US$25.6 billion raised, and valuing the company at US$1.7 trillion, making it the largest listed company at launch.[95]
On 27 September, Bloomberg News reported that while production capacity and exports implied that the industry was almost back to normal, that view may be overly simplistic, with output 1.8 million barrels a day below the pre-attack level and capacity reported to be only 700,000 barrels below the Kingdom's maximum. Until further repairs and adjustments, customers may be asked to accept heavier oil than the grades originally purchased.[96]
Domestic reactions
[edit]The Saudi King, Salman bin Abdulaziz, issued a statement on 17 September, calling the attack a "vandalism and coward attack" that threatens international security and global energy supplies and said the kingdom is able to respond to these attacks. The king also said the attack comes after a series of attacks against the kingdom.[97][98]
International reactions
[edit]The attacks raised concern over political stability in the Middle East, coupled with the US' stance that the attacks may have originated from Iran.[1][99]
The United States is a close ally of Saudi Arabia, while its relationship with Iran has been strained in 2019 as part of the overall Persian Gulf crisis. U.S. President Donald Trump authorised the release of the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help stabilize energy prices in the US.[86][100] Trump further stated that the U.S. is no longer dependent on oil from the Middle East.[101] Trump condemned the attack and stated on Twitter on 15 September that the U.S. military is "locked and loaded" but is waiting to hear from the Saudis as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, "and under what terms we would proceed".[102] In the days that followed, Trump stated that he did not promise to protect the Saudis, but will have to sit with them and "work something out".[103] On 20 September, Trump issued a new round of economic sanctions against Iran, targeting the Central Bank of Iran and the National Development Fund of Iran, preventing them from purchasing American dollars; these sanctions had been established earlier but had been previously lifted after Iran had agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The sanctions are aimed to prevent Iran from having the funds to support future strikes.[104]
On 15 September 2019, Reuters reported on remarks by international organizations by stating "U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Saturday's attacks and called on all parties to exercise restraint and prevent any escalation. The European Union warned the strikes posed a real threat to regional security, and several nations urged restraint."[105] Russian president Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about the U.S. statements that Iran was behind drone strikes, said: "We have a negative attitude towards rising tensions in the region and call for all countries in the region and outside of it to avoid any hasty steps or conclusions which may deepen destabilisation."[106] Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, said in remarks quoted 16 September 2019 that while there is no "conclusive investigation", it is irresponsible to blame anyone for the attack, and added "we call on relevant parties avoid taking actions that bring about an escalation in regional tensions".[107]
Other nations called for waiting for results from investigations before stating who was behind the attack. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on 17 September 2019: "We have to look at how the conflict in Yemen started. This country was completely destroyed – who caused it?"[108] That same day, Japan's defence minister said his country has not seen any intelligence showing Iranian involvement in the attacks. "We are not aware of any information that points to Iran," Defence Minister Tarō Kōno told reporters at a briefing. "We believe the Houthis carried out the attack based on the statement claiming responsibility." Also on 17 September 2019, White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said the Trump administration "can't say definitively" that Iran was behind the attack.[71] As of 18 September 2019, the United Arab Emirates had not yet attributed responsibility.[109]
Several international bodies and nations condemned the attack. The UN Secretary General condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia, claimed by the Houthis, and UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths said the attack "carries the risk of dragging Yemen into a regional conflagration" and that "there is 'no time to waste' in ending four years of fighting between Houthi rebels and the internationally-recognized Government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, which has pushed the country to the brink of famine."[110][111] Arab League in a statement by the General Secretariat on 14 September, strongly condemned the drone attacks and termed the attacks as "serious escalations" and called for preserving security of the country.[112][113] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg "strongly condemned" the attacks and said Iran was "supporting different terrorist groups and being responsible for destabilising the whole region."[114] In South Korea, the National Defence Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo denounced drone attacks on oil facilities as "a reckless act" that harms global security and stability. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to strengthen partnerships between the two countries to fight against the terrorist attacks.[115][116]
During the Houthi "21 September revolution anniversary", the Houthi leader Muhammad Ali al-Houthi, offered to halt all attacks on Saudi Arabia. He said that Saudi Arabia should in return end its war in Yemen. The Houthis also warned that if Saudi Arabia refused their peace offer the next attacks will be more painful.[117][118] The UN Yemen envoy, praised the Houthi announcement and said it could send a "powerful message of the will to end the war".[117]
Related security issues
[edit]On 15 September 2019, the Cabinet of Kuwait said it was probing the sighting of a drone over its territory and coordinating with Saudi Arabia, and other countries, after the attacks. Kuwait has also increased its security as a result of the attack.[119][120]
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to sell Saudi Arabia the advanced S-400 missile system[77] so it could use it against air attacks instead of continuing to use the Raytheon Patriot missile system.[121] However, Putin made this offer beside a chuckling Iranian President Rouhani in what was described as a "sublime bit of political trolling".[122]
By 11 October 2019, the United States had sent 3,000 additional troops to Saudi Arabia in response to the attack, which U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper stated was to address "threats in the region" while protecting Saudi Arabia from "Iranian aggression".[123] Secretive cyberattacks on Tehran internet capabilities followed the event and according to Iranian sources, a rocket attack on Iranian shipping in the Red Sea.[124]
Uzi Rubin, a prominent Israeli military expert, described the attack as only one of the most audacious military surprises ever and a landmark event that bolstered Iran's prestige domestically and internationally in defiance of the US sanctions.[125]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Saudi oil attacks: Drones and missiles launched from Iran – US". BBC. 17 September 2019. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Exclusive: U.N. Investigators find Yemen's Houthis did not carry out Saudi oil attack". Reuters. 8 January 2020.
- ^ "UN links items in arms shipments and missile attacks to Iran". Associated Press. 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Aramco's Repairs Could Take Months Longer Than Company Anticipates, Contractors Say". The Wall Street Journal. 23 September 2019. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Said, Summer; Malsin, Jared; Donati, Jessica (14 September 2019). "U.S. Blames Iran for Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ^ Amlôt, Matthew (15 September 2019). "Saudi stocks fall sharply after attacks on oil facilities". Al Arabiya. Al Arabiya Network. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Trump says he does not want war after attack on Saudi oil facilities". Reuters. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Stewart, Phil; Hafezi, Parisa (17 September 2019). "Saudi oil output to recover in two or three weeks after attack: sources". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Jaganathan, Jessica; Resnick-Ault, Jessica (16 September 2019). "Buyers of Saudi oil scramble for alternatives, U.S. exports ramp up". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Saudi Arabia – Overview (PDF) (Report). Energy Information Administration. 20 October 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Houthi drone attacks on 2 Saudi Aramco oil facilities spark fires". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Drone strikes set Saudi oil facilities ablaze". BBC News. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Major Saudi Arabia oil facilities hit by Houthi drone strikes". The Guardian. Associated Press. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ^ a b Turak, Natasha (19 September 2019). "How Saudi Arabia failed to protect itself from drone and missile attacks". CNBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ Safi, Michael; Borger, Julian (18 September 2019). "How did oil attack breach Saudi defences and what will happen next?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Frantzman, Seth (26 September 2019). "Are air defense systems ready to confront drone swarms?". Defense News. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Reid, David (20 September 2019). "Saudi Aramco reveals attack damage at oil production plants". CNBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Gambrell, Jon (14 September 2019). "Yemen's Houthi rebels launch drones on 2 big Saudi oil sites". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Safi, Michael; Borger, Julian (18 September 2019). "How did oil attack breach Saudi defences and what will happen next?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Turak, Natasha (17 September 2019). "Detailed satellite photos show extent of 'surgical' attack damage to Saudi Aramco oil facilities". CNBC. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Saudi oil attacks: Images show detail of damage". BBC. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Pamuk, Humeyra (20 December 2019). "Exclusive: U.S. probe of Saudi oil attack shows it came from north – report". Reuters. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "NCRI Claims to Have Intelligence Detailing Iran's Attack on Saudi Arabia". Iran International. 30 September 2019.
- ^ "NCRI's revelations on the Iranian Regime's Attack on Saudi Oil Installations". 30 September 2019.
- ^ a b Lister, Tim (19 September 2019). "The billions Saudi Arabia spends on air defenses may be wasted in the age of drone warfare". CNN. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Chulov, Martin (16 September 2019). "Middle East drones signal end to era of fast jet air supremacy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Hubbard, Ben; Karasz, Palko; Reed, Stanley (14 September 2019). "Two Major Saudi Oil Installations Hit by Drone Strike, and U.S. Blames Iran". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ a b Irish, John; Salaun, Tangui (19 September 2019). Willard, Anna (ed.). "France says Houthi claim of Saudi attack lacks credibility". Reuters. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ "Saudi oil attacks: All the latest updates". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "الحوثيون: استهدفنا منشأتي أرامكو بـ"درونز" مختلفة.. ونحذر الشركات الأجنبية" [Houthis: We targeted two Aramco facilities "different" Drones .. We warn foreign companies]. arabic.cnn.com (in Arabic). CNN Arabic. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Houthi drone attacks on 2 Saudi Aramco oil facilities spark fires". Al Jazeera. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ a b "US blames Iran for attacks on Saudi oil facilities". BBC News. 15 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ Hubbard, Ben; Karasz, Palko; Reed, Stanley (14 September 2019). "Two Major Saudi Oil Installations Hit by Drone Strike, and U.S. Blames Iran". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Altaher, Nada; Hauser, Jennifer; Kottasová, Ivana (14 September 2019). "Yemen's Houthi rebels claim a 'large-scale' drone attack on Saudi oil facilities". CNN. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Timeline: Houthis' drone and missile attacks on Saudi targets". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Gallagher, Sean (16 September 2019). "Missiles and drones that hit Saudi oil fields: Made in Iran, but fired by whom?". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Fahim, Kareem; Mufson, Steven (14 September 2019). "Yemen rebels claim responsibility for crippling attacks on Saudi oil facilities". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
Houthi attacks, including on civilian airports and oil installations, have become more frequent
- ^ "الحوثيون يتبنون الهجوم بطائرات مسيرة على أرامكو السعودية | DW | 14.09.2019". DW.COM (in Arabic). Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Mackinnon, Amy; Groll, Elias; Gramer, Robbie (16 September 2019). "What You Need to Know About the Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Pérez-Peña, Richard; Kirkpatrick, David D.; Crowley, Michael Leland (16 September 2019). "Trump Says Iran Appears Responsible for Saudi Attack but That He Wants to Avoid War – The New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Hinz, Fabian (15 September 2019). "Meet the Quds 1". Arms Control Wonk. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019.
- ^ Binnie, Jeremy (8 July 2019). "Yemeni rebels unveil cruise missile, long-range UAVs". Jane's Defence Weekly. IHS. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Gambrell, Jon (20 April 2021). "Saudi Arabia: Drone attacks knocked out half its oil supply". AP NEWS. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ "Yemen's Houthi rebels launch drone attacks on 2 major Saudi oil sites". Los Angeles Times. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Kirkpatrick, David D.; Koettl, Christoph; McCann, Allison; Schmitt, Eric; Singhvi, Anjali; Wezerek, Gus (16 September 2019). "Who Was Behind the Saudi Oil Attack? What the Evidence Shows". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Herman, Steve (15 September 2019). "Trump: US is 'Locked and Loaded' to Respond to Saudi Oil Attack". VOA. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ "Abdulsalam: Targeting Aramco a New Phase of Economic Deterrence". english.almasirah.net. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Yemen's Houthi rebels launch drones on 2 big Saudi oil sites". CNBC. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Saudi Aramco Acknowledges Damage at Shaybah Oil Field Following First Operation of Balanced Deterrence". english.almasirah.net. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Houthi drones hit two Aramco plants, Saudis say fires contained". Jerusalem Post. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "السعودية تتهم إيران بدعم هجوم أرامكو وتؤكد أن مصدره من "الشمال"" [Its source from the "North" of Saudi accuses Iran of supporting the Aramco attack and emphasizes that...]. فرانس 24 / France 24 (in Arabic). 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "الحوثيون في اليمن يهددون بمهاجمة أهداف في الإمارات" [Houthis in Yemen threaten to attack targets in the UAE]. SWI swissinfo.ch (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "الأهداف في أبوظبي ودبي: الحوثيون يتوعدون باستهداف منشآت في الإمارات" [Goals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai: Houthis vow to target facilities in the UAE]. الجزيرة مباشر (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Yemen rebels threaten strikes against Dubai and Abu Dhabi". France 24. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ O'Connor, Tom (18 September 2019). "Saudi Arabia officially blames oil attack on Iran, which says it's ready for war, but doesn't want one". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Browne, Gareth; Ensor, Josie (22 September 2019). "UAE warns that drone attack on Dubai or Abu Dhabi would be 'attack on the world'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Raddatz, Martha (15 September 2019). "Iran fired cruise missiles in attack on Saudi oil facility: Senior US official". ABC News. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ "The Latest: Trump calls Saudi crown prince after attack". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ^ Brown, David (17 September 2017). "Trump stops short of blaming Iran for Saudi attack". POLITICO.
- ^ Kalin, Stephen (16 September 2019). "Evidence indicates Iranian arms used in Saudi attack, say Saudis". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Turak, Natasha (18 September 2019). "Drone and missile debris proves Iranian role in Aramco attack, Saudi defense ministry says". CNBC. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ a b Chappell, Bill (18 September 2019). "Saudi Arabia Says Iran 'Unquestionably Sponsored' Attack On Oil Facilities". NPR. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- ^ Chappell, Bill (17 September 2019). "U.S. Satellites Detected Iran Readying Weapons Ahead Of Saudi Strike, Officials Say". NPR. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Harris, Bryant (16 September 2019). "Sanders warns Trump against illegal Iran strike". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Nissenbaum, Dion; Said, Summer; Lubold, Gordon; Youssef, Nancy A. (17 September 2019). "U.S., Saudi Military Forces Failed to Detect Attack on Oil Facilities". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Limitone, Julia (17 September 2019). "Saudis aren't 'totally convinced' oil strikes were carried out by Iran: Gen. Jack Keane". FOXBusiness. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Pompeo in Saudi to discuss response to attack as tensions rise". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Chappell, Bill (17 September 2019). "U.S. Satellites Detected Iran Readying Weapons Ahead Of Saudi Strike, Officials Say". NPR.org. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Martin, David (18 September 2019). "Saudi oil attack was approved by Iran's supreme leader, U.S. official says". CBS News. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Lewis, Aidan (17 September 2019). MacSwan, Angus (ed.). "France says lacks evidence on origin of drones used in Saudi attack". Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ a b Wagner, Meg; Hayes, Mike; Rocha, Veronica (17 September 2019). "The latest on the Saudi oil attacks". CNN. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Trump And Johnson Discuss Need For 'United Diplomatic Response' To Saudi Oil Attack". HuffPost UK. 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Germany, France and Britain blame Iran for Saudi oil attack". Deutsche Welle. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ "Germany, UK, France blame Iran for Saudi oil attacks". Al Jazeera. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ Joint statement by the heads of state and government of France, Germany and the United Kingdom (Report). Government of the United Kingdom. 23 September 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- ^ Binding, Lucia (15 September 2019). "Iran says it's ready for war with U.S. after Saudi oil attack accusations". Sky News. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Putin proposes Russian missile defence for Saudi after oil attack". Al-Jazeera. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Iran's Rouhani blames US, Saudi for conflict in region". CNBC. 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Nichols, Michelle (10 December 2019). Grebler, Dan (ed.). "U.N. unable to verify that weapons used in Saudi oil attack were from Iran". Reuters. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ Nichols, Michelle (8 January 2020). "Exclusive: U.N. investigators find Yemen's Houthis did not carry out Saudi oil attack". Reuters.
- ^ Hearst, David (15 September 2019). "Iranian drones launched from Iraq carried out attacks on Saudi oil plants". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Iran slams American "lies" after U.S. accuses it of "unprecedented attack" on Saudi oil". CBS News. 15 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Saudi oil attacks: U.S. says intelligence shows Iran involved". BBC. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Iraq Prime Minister: Iraq territory not used in Saudi attacks". Gulf News. 15 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Iraq says U.S. does not believe Iraqi territory used to launch attack on Saudi". Reuters. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Kumar, Devika Krishna (15 September 2019). "Oil Prices Surge 15% after Attack on Saudi Facilities Hits Global Supply". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Turak, Natasha (15 September 2019). "Saudi stock market dives, crude futures to jump after drone attack on oil plants". CNBC. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Oil prices soar after attacks halve Saudi output". Financial Times. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Pandey, Swati (15 September 2019). "Oil surges, stock futures slip after attack on Saudi facility". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
- ^ Harrison, David (15 September 2019). "Saudi Oil Attack Is Unlikely to Dent U.S. Economy". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
Oil production doubled between 2008 and 2018, and the U.S. is now the world's top oil producer, ahead of Saudi Arabia, according to the Energy Information Administration.
- ^ Jones, Rory; Said, Summer; Faucon, Benoit (17 September 2019). "Saudi Arabia Set to Return to Normal Oil Production Levels by End of Month". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Turak, Natasha (17 September 2019). "Oil output will be fully back online by end of September, Aramco IPO on track, Saudis say". CNBC. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Li, Yun (17 September 2019). "Oil drops on report Saudi oil output will return to normal faster than initially anticipated". CNBC. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Turak, Natasha (16 September 2019). "New security fears jeopardize Saudi Aramco's public stock offering following attack". CNBC. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Rashad, Marwa; Hasan, Saeed; Kalin, Stephen (11 December 2019). "'Vindication' – Saudi Arabia hails 10% debut jump in Aramco shares". Reuters. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ Lee, Julian (27 September 2019). "Saudi Recovery From Oil Attack Isn't All It Seems". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "ملك السعودية عن هجوم أرامكو: قادرون على التعامل مع الاعتداءات الجبانة" [Saudi King regarding Aramco attack: We are able to deal with cowardly attacks]. CNN Arabic. 17 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Khalid, Tuqa; El Yaakoubi, Aziz (17 September 2019). MacSwan, Angus (ed.). "Saudi king says kingdom is capable of responding to attacks". Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ Safi, Michael; Wearden, Graeme (16 September 2019). "Everything you need to know about the Saudi Arabia oil attacks". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Conradis, Brandon (15 September 2019). "Trump authorizes use of emergency oil reserve after Saudi attacks". The Hill. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Jackson, David (16 September 2019). "Pondering response to Iran, Donald Trump says U.S. doesn't need Middle East oil". USA Today. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Rampton, Roberta; Mohammed, Arshad (16 September 2019). "U.S. blames Iran for Saudi oil attack, Trump says 'locked and loaded'". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Toosi, Nahal (16 September 2019). "Trump's deference to Saudi Arabia infuriates much of D.C." Politico. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Sullivan, Eileen (20 September 2019). "Trump Announces New Sanctions on Iran". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ "Russia Says Unacceptable to Discuss Retaliation to Saudi Attacks". Haaretz. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Tsvetkova, Maria (16 September 2019). "Kremlin warns against 'hasty conclusions' over attacks in Saudi Arabia". Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ Martina, Michael; Blanchard, Ben (16 September 2019). Chopra, Toby (ed.). "China says can't apportion blame for Saudi attack without facts". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "On Saudi attacks, Erdogan: We have to look at how the Yemen conflict started". Al Arabiya English. 17 September 2019.
- ^ Wintour, Patrick; Borger, Julian (18 September 2019). "Saudi offers 'proof' of Iran's role in oil attack and urges US response". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Attack on Saudi facilities risks dragging Yemen into 'regional conflagration': UN Envoy". UN News. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Nichols, Michelle; Simao, Paul (15 September 2019). "U.N. chief condemns Saudi attacks, calls for restraint". Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ Bayar, Gözde (15 September 2019). "Arab countries condemn attack on Saudi oil facilities". Anadolu Agency.
- ^ Mohamed, Hatem (14 September 2019). "Arab League condemns drone attacks on Aramco's facilities". Emirates News Agency. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "NATO chief 'extremely concerned' after attacks on Saudi". France 24. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Moon, Saudi crown prince discuss global response to drone attack on oil facilities". Yonhap News Agency. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Elsaba, Hesham (18 September 2019). "Saudi crown prince requests help from South Korea to strengthen air defenses: Yonhap". Reuters. Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ a b "UN Yemen envoy welcomes Houthi offer to halt attacks on Saudi Arabia". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 22 September 2019. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "الحوثيون يتوعدون الرياض بهجمات أشد إيلاما إذا رفضت مبادرتهم". Al Jazeera. 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ "Kuwait investigates drone sighting following attacks on Saudi Aramco". Arabian Business. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Kuwait says it's probing drone sighting, working with Riyadh". Reuters. 15 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ Taylor, Adam. "Billions spent on U.S. weapons didn't protect Saudi Arabia's most critical oil sites from a crippling attack". Washington Post. pp. 17 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ "A strike on Saudi Arabia moves a shadowy conflict closer to open war". The Economist. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia oil attacks: US to deploy thousands of extra troops". BBC. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Reuters News. (16 October 2019). "U.S. carried out secret cyber strike on Iran in wake of Saudi oil attack – report". Jerusalem Post website Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ Rubin, Uzi (15 October 2019). "Saudi Arabia's Black September". JISS. Retrieved 2 January 2020.