Saudi Arabia oil facilities attacked, U.S.-Iran tensions flare

By Stephen Kalin and Rania El Gamal

 

UAE Navy boats are seen next to Al Marzoqah, Saudi Arabian tanker, off the Port of Fujairah, UAE May 13, 2019.REUTERS/Satish Kumar

 

RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said armed drones struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a "cowardly" act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

 

The attacks took place against a backdrop of U.S.-Iranian tension following Washington's decision this month to try to cut Iran's oil exports to zero and to beef up its military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats.

 

However, U.S. President Donald Trump denied a New York Times report that U.S. officials were discussing a military plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East to counter any attack or nuclear weapons acceleration by Iran.

 

"It's fake news, OK? Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that," Trump told reporters.

 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there would not be war with the United States despite mounting tensions over Iranian nuclear capabilities, its missile program and its support for proxies in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

 

"There won't be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance," he said in comments carried by Iran's state TV. He repeated that Tehran would not negotiate with Washington over Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers.

 

Trump withdrew the United States from the pact a year ago and has increased economic sanctions onIran.

 

Under the accord negotiated by Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, Tehran agreed to curb its uranium enrichment capacity, a potential pathway to a nuclear bomb, in return for sanctions relief.

 

The Trump administration's sanctions are designed to choke off Iran's oil exports in an effort to force Iranto accept more stringent limits on its nuclear and missile programs.

 

U.S. national security agencies believe proxies sympathetic to or working for Iran may have sabotaged the tankers off the UAE coast rather than Iranian forces themselves, a U.S. official familiar with the latest U.S. assessments said on Tuesday.

 

The official said possible perpetrators might include Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iran-backed Shi'ite militias based in Iraq, but Washington had no hard evidence. On Monday, a U.S. official said Iran was a leading candidate for the tanker sabotage but the United States did not have conclusive proof.

 

Iran rejects the allegation of Iranian involvement and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that "extremist individuals" in the U.S. government were pursuing dangerous policies.

 

HOUTHI TV CLAIMS DRONE ATTACK

Houthi-run Masirah TV earlier said the group had carried out drone attacks on "vital" Saudi installations in response to "continued aggression and blockade" on Yemen.

 

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis for four years in Yemen to try to restore the internationally recognised government in a conflict widely seen as a Saudi-Iran proxy war.

 

The Houthis have repeatedly hit Saudi cities with drones and missiles, but two Saudi sources told Reuters this was the first time a facility of the state-run Aramco had been attacked by drones.

 

Aramco said it had temporarily shut down the East-West pipeline, known as Petroline, to evaluate its condition. The pipeline mainly transports crude from the kingdom's eastern fields to the port of Yanbu, which lies north of Bab al-Mandeb.

 

The energy minister of Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said the latest attacks caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil output or exports of crude and petroleum products.

 

Oil prices rose on news of the attack on the Saudi pumping stations, more than 200 miles (320 km) west of the capital Riyadh. Brent was trading at $71.37 a barrel by 1715 GMT, up 1.62%.

 

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, in comments run by state media, said global oil supplies were threatened by the drone attack and Sunday's sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi tankers, off Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub near the Strait of Hormuz.

 

A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the strait from Middle East crude producers to much of the world.

 

"These attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Houthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran," Falih said in an English-language statement issued by his ministry.

 

A UAE official told Reuters the UAE was working with local and international partners from the United States, France, Norway, and Saudi Arabia to "fully investigate the incident and to identify the people or entities responsible."

 

The UAE has not blamed anyone for what it called sabotage on the vessels, which include a Norwegian-registered oil products tanker. France has a naval base in Abu Dhabi.

 

A senior European diplomat voiced scepticism that Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy would forceIran to capitulate.

 

"Iran is not falling to its knees," said the diplomat on condition of anonymity, saying Iran could resume its nuclear work and leave Washington with no option but military action.

 

"Does Trump want to go to war with Iran especially during an election campaign year?" he asked.

 

(Reporting by Stephen Kalin and Rania El Gamal; Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Asma Alsharif, Aziz El Yaakoubi and Davide Barbuscia in Dubai; Ahmed Aboulenein in Baghdad; Mark Hosenball, Doina Chiacu and Makini Brice in Washington; Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Grant McCool)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-15

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That reminds me of 9/11 when most of the terrorists came from Saudi Arabia and the USA attacked Afghanistan and Iraq.

I hope history won't be repeated again in this case.

But Trump obviously needs a distraction for his voters so that they don't look at the real problems with Trump.

We better be prepared for another USA war of aggression.

This is squarely on the USA.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

a U.S. official said Iran was a leading candidate for the tanker sabotage but the United States did not have conclusive proof.

Since when have the Saudi / Israel puppets needed proof?

I blame the Russians, they should've installed a Shi'a Muslim in the White House instead of the current incumbent 

Just Donald trying to start something to excuse his Iran policy fiasco and draw attention away from the many scandles domestically 

19 minutes ago, Tug said:

Just Donald trying to start something to excuse his Iran policy fiasco and draw attention away from the many scandles domestically 

My money is on John Bolton, not Trump.

    Saudi has spent billions on military hardware, they should hit back at where these attacks are coming from, before the Americans become too involved, Iran is another terrorist ally of Russia, so don't give Putin an excuse that won't hold up to world opinion, co's that runt would blame America, till their blue in the face.

5 minutes ago, grumpy 4680 said:

    Saudi has spent billions on military hardware, they should hit back at where these attacks are coming from, before the Americans become too involved, 

That might mean the Saudis hitting back at themselves.

2 hours ago, baboon said:

My money is on John Bolton, not Trump.

Agreed.  Bolton is a super hawk who would like to strike Iran militarily or even invade.  He has a history of advocating war and escalating to a point where he is trying to entice Iran or others to strike back so the US will then have a pretext of self defense.

 

Bolton also works in lockstep with Netanayu of Israel who sees Iran as the main enemy to Israel and would love to have America attack.

 

None of these people care  anything for the  people who would have to fight and die- including young Americans and Iranians.

 

America needs to  make peace with Iran-go back to the agreement already  negotiated and start to remove all US troops from the region. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria- enough!!

26 minutes ago, grumpy 4680 said:

    Saudi has spent billions on military hardware, they should hit back at where these attacks are coming from, before the Americans become too involved, Iran is another terrorist ally of Russia, so don't give Putin an excuse that won't hold up to world opinion, co's that runt would blame America, till their blue in the face.

America is the terrorist of the region 

Saudi Arabia complaining about terrorists??? That's rich!!!

 

The home of most of the 9/11 attackers and the kingdom whose ruler had an American journalist killed and dismembered in a foreign country.

 

Who's actually worse here.... Saudi Arabia or Iran?

 

 

At this point, anything is possible with this guy in the White House. Americans are to blame for any escalation, especially Bolton.

Strange the culprits have not been identified- only assumptions. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Israel’s Mossad had something to do with these mysterious attacks. Israel would love to  see the USA at war with Iran 

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That reminds me of 9/11 when most of the terrorists came from Saudi Arabia and the USA attacked Afghanistan and Iraq.

I hope history won't be repeated again in this case.

But Trump obviously needs a distraction for his voters so that they don't look at the real problems with Trump.

We better be prepared for another USA war of aggression.

He'd be going down a well travelled road then. Remember Thatcher going to war in the Falklands, IMO to win the election?

 

Just takes the Saudis to retaliate with their US supplied weapons and it's all on. Oil supplies will be heavily reduced and then we'll really see 

This has all the hallmarks of the Houthis fighting bank against Saudi & UAE who are the main ones (the US is a helper) turning Yemen into rubble.

Because the Houthis are nominally Shia and supported by Iran, the US propaganda machine has been in top gear about a WMD-like Iran threat. And yes, Bolton the neo-Nazi is heavily involved.

10 hours ago, stevenl said:

This is squarely on the USA.

 

Coming from someone who often advocates a wait-for-details approach on other topics, kinda rich.

8 hours ago, Tug said:

Just Donald trying to start something to excuse his Iran policy fiasco and draw attention away from the many scandles domestically 

 

I don't agree with Trump's policies in general, and specifically not on Iran. That said, fiasco how? To date, the reintroduced sanctions (which some posters belittles at the time) are quite effective, no major unified international opposition to the USA's moves, and Iran still weary of throwing the toys out of the pram.

 

Yes, there could have been better ways to go about it and achieve more.

An off topic post has been removed. 

30 minutes ago, khunken said:

This has all the hallmarks of the Houthis fighting bank against Saudi & UAE who are the main ones (the US is a helper) turning Yemen into rubble.

Because the Houthis are nominally Shia and supported by Iran, the US propaganda machine has been in top gear about a WMD-like Iran threat. And yes, Bolton the neo-Nazi is heavily involved.

 

Doubt Bolton qualifies as a neo-Nazi, but then again some posters are more into venting, so anything goes.

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

He'd be going down a well travelled road then. Remember Thatcher going to war in the Falklands, IMO to win the election?

 

Just takes the Saudis to retaliate with their US supplied weapons and it's all on. Oil supplies will be heavily reduced and then we'll really see 

That would be a wet dream come true. Go $100 oil!

3 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

That would be a wet dream come true. Go $100 oil!

Not so much for Trump. 

11 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That reminds me of 9/11 when most of the terrorists came from Saudi Arabia and the USA attacked Afghanistan and Iraq.

I hope history won't be repeated again in this case.

But Trump obviously needs a distraction for his voters so that they don't look at the real problems with Trump.

We better be prepared for another USA war of aggression.

Trump unfortunately thinks that the mass murdering Saudis are not anything to do with 9/11, especially as the proposed Trump tower in Riyad is top of his agenda. As for this latest issue, guess he has not seen nothing yet. Wonder who he thinks is to blame ? Iran will be top of the list no doubt as an excuse but his sphincter no doubt is  trembling at the thought  of any retaliation.

I'd like to see that arrogant murdering inbred MbS have a little karma come back on him, hoping for the best.. 

12 hours ago, grumpy 4680 said:

    Saudi has spent billions on military hardware, they should hit back at where these attacks are coming from, before the Americans become too involved, Iran is another terrorist ally of Russia, so don't give Putin an excuse that won't hold up to world opinion, co's that runt would blame America, till their blue in the face.

 

Most GCC countries use their wealth to acquire the latest military hardware. Doesn't mean they have the expertise to use it well.

So who is responsible for these drone attacks?  My thinking ....

 

50% False flag attacks by US entities or their gulf allies, to give excuse for military action.

20% Israel needs another war to distract it's enemies in the Middle-East, Now that the Syria conflict is winding down, need another (ever wonder why IS never attacked Israel, even though for some years it was controlling areas near the Israeli border?)

20% The Houthis, In which case a legitimate act of war against Saudi Arabia.

10% Iran - yes, there are always some idiots around who just want to hit back, regardless of the consequences.

 

 

Can we all say gulf of Tonkin?me thinks devious Donald is trying to manipulate an incident 

17 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Not so much for Trump. 

If El Presidente understood global economic a bit better he would also be in favor of $100 oil.

Expensive oil would put pressure on China. They import 10 million bbls a day ($255 billion a year) and the exporting countries in the middle east have a history of funneling their oil wealth back into the west, Europa and the US.

 

Sure Trump need to please Americans at the pumps, but USA is pretty much self sufficient and the local crude flavor WTI and Canadian heavy is priced at a discount to Brent.

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by ExpatOilWorker