Drone Strikes Disable Half of Saudi Arabia's Oil Output Amid Blame Game
Coordinated drone attacks on two Saudi Aramco facilities cut the kingdom's oil production in half. While Yemen's Houthi rebels claim responsibility, U.S. officials blame Iran, a claim that Iran firmly denies.
Drone attacks on two major Saudi Aramco oil facilities halt half of Saudi Arabia's daily oil production. Amateur videos show massive blazes and thick plumes of smoke rising from the Abqaiq processing plant in eastern Saudi Arabia following the early morning strike. Fortunately, Saudi officials report that no workers suffer injuries or death in the unprecedented assault.
Yemen's Houthi militia claims responsibility for the attack, with military spokesman Col. Yahya Saree stating that ten drones successfully strike the facilities. The group calls the assault "Operation Balance of Terror" and frames it as a retaliation against the Saudi-led coalition's ongoing blockade and military strikes in Yemen. Saree also claims the operation relies on extensive intelligence gathered from sources inside the kingdom.
Despite the Houthi claim, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo directly blames Iran for the attacks and rejects the idea that the drones originate in Yemen. Pompeo accuses Tehran of launching an unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply, though the State Department does not provide immediate evidence to support this assertion. Iran quickly denies any involvement, with a foreign ministry spokesman dismissing Pompeo's accusations.