Saudi Arabia’s oil supply has reportedly been targeted by military chiefs in Tehran, collaborating with Houthi rebels in Yemen to damage the East-West oil ducts much to the annoyance of Riyadh. The attack comes after Express.co.uk revealed that Iran were using militias to chip away at Saudi oil pipelines. Dr Alex Mendoza told Express.co.uk in August that Iran was “laying the seed” for a huge military action in Saudi Arabia. He said that smaller actions against Saudi pipelines were “distractions” that were used to “remind everyone that Iran has major capabilities”. He added: “There would be a danger for Iran if it were to go for major targets.
“The US could not sit back, for example, if there was a major attack on Saudi operations, and allow that to happen.”
Mendoza spoke of the importance of Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels to Iran, who have helped in disrupting the oil plants with small attacks on the pipeline that reaches East and West in Saudi Arabia.
He believed Rouhani, the Iranian President, had enlisted militia groups in a calculated move.
Mendoza added: “The danger for Iran is that they overreach – but at the moment, these are perfectly small targets and in keeping with what Iran intends to do.
“They want to remind everyone of their value and potential approach.
“At the same time, it doesn’t risk a major response.”
Now they have engaged in the major military action Mendoza feared, leaving Trump’s administration furious.
The attacks were claimed by the Houthi rebels, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Tehran for the attacks.
He said that there is “no evidence” that the attacks came from Yemen, and it is believed the US government have obtained photographic evidence that suggests the attack was too sophisticated to have been executed without help from the Iranian military.
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Tensions between Iran and the Western world have escalated since both Washington and Tehran withdrew from the landmark nuclear deal signed in 2015.
Trump accused Iran of breaking the deal at the time and cited that as his reason for pulling out.
Vladimir Putin has swept in at just the right time. He will be discussing the situation in the Middle East with Rouhani and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan later today.