Saudi Arabia says oil facilities outside Riyadh attacked

[Ghost Dog]

Source: Reuters

RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said armed drones had 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 energy minister of the world’s largest oil exporter said the attack caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil production or exports of crude and petroleum products.

Oil prices spiked on news of the attack on the stations, more than 200 miles (320 km) west of the capital Riyadh. Brent crude futures rose 1.38% to trade at $71.20 (54.99 pounds) by 1114 GMT.

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

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


Read more: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-oil-usa-iran/saudi-arabia-says-oil-facilities-outside-riyadh-attacked-idUKKCN1SK0YY?il=0

[htuttle]

1. Hmm, not one, but TWO armed drone attacks caused only minor damage and no disruption.

My, oh my -- what a miracle. And what an excellent excuse to start a war.

[atreides1]

2. I'm not buying this!!!!

Just days after Trump decides to rattle the saber...by sending in a carrier group and a B-52 task force...this is too damn convenient!!!

[RKP5637]

10. Yep, exactly the same thoughts here as soon as I saw this. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Liars supported by liars.

[mitch96]

15. Wag the dog,Tonkin gulf/Flase flag operation..

Every prez needs his war.. Most times if it's near re election time the country backs the sitting pres.. AKA BUSH......
M

[ashredux]

3. Here we go again....

The Drums of War....We’ve seen this movie before

Vietnam.....Gulf of Tonkin. Fake
Iraq.....Weapons of Mass Destruction Fake

Now Iran....this script will contain both. Same script with different names.

Coming Soon....

Strait of Hormuz “attack”
Iran has the “Bomb” in months

Will we ever learn?

[yaesu]

4. False Flag, False Flag. nt

[AJT]

5. Even if these attacks happened, both the sabotage and the drones,

it was probably the Russians. Not only would a war help their chaos plans but a war with Iran would help them by increasing oil prices.

[Paladin]

6. How about the U.S. sitting out this latest civil disturbance on the other side of the world?

I mean, just for a change of fucking pace.

The Saudis will probably send trump another gold sword to play with, and we'll be on our way to WWIII....

[SayItLoud]

7. The day Mueller sits before House panel Iran will be bombed or...

Venezuela invaded or both.

[GeorgeGist]

8. More Bullshit from the Gulf of Tonkin crowd.

[safeinOhio]

12. Drones of mass distraction.

[bitterross]

9. Who benefits most from this?

That's the question to ask. Is it Russia, who has oil? Venezuela doesn't seem to be in a position to muster such attacks.

The US, Russia, and China are the only nations I can think of with the capabilities to do this. Please chime in if I am wrong on my total assumption that is not backed up by any research yet.

There may well be other nations and terrorist groups that are doing this. Not sure whom it would benefit. If Iran is blamed for all of this I will be more convinced than ever it's the US behind it. There are a lot of hard-liners in the CIA/Military who'd love to support Trump and Bolton in a war with Iran.

[karynnj]

18. Think political reasons

This could be any country wanting to push us to war. That could include the US, the Sunni nations, including Saudi Arabia itself and Israel. The latter group pushed for the US to attack Iran before the Obama administration publicly started the Iran negotiations.

In fact, after the Iran nuclear deal, even per the Israeli media, made Israel safer -- Netanyahu was still full force trying to kill it. To me, it shows that Netanyahu with his timebomb graphic at the UN calling for the world to stop Iran, which he claimed was 2 months from getting a nuclear weapon, was really calling for war ... not diplomacy. When diplomacy succeeded, it was clear that his real goal was a war that would destroy Iran.

Even Haaretz, which leans left, has been scary reading on so many issues -- not the least being articles that gin up the idea of the US going to war with Iran. Some have left me wanting to throw my tablet at the wall. One went through the history then blamed Obama and especially Kerry after praising the nuclear deal as an arms treaty like those between Russia and the US. The reason he gave was that because they said that the deal meant "peace", Trump HAD to pull out. In fact, BOTH went out of their way to speak of how it dealt ONLY with nuclear weapons because that was achievable though difficult and it would be better to have a bad actor without a nuclear weapon than with one. Not to mention, no matter how Obama spoke of it, there was no connection to Trump pulling out!

As to "peace", it was more avoiding an imminent war. Having followed Kerry, I assume his problem comes from Kerry noting that before the deal middle eastern leaders push the US to take military action. The reporter obviously knew Netanyahu was among them. It was interesting that nowhere in the article was the name Netanyahu or the country Israel mentioned.

Another article, was headlined that if Iran and the US clash, Israel may be impacted.

[McKim]

11. False Flag!!!!

False flag!!! Don’t tell me Saudi Arabia can’t defend itself from a drone!!!!! As one who has been to Iran, has Iran Peace Corps returnee friends, and who is working on a sister city project with Iran, I am terrified of what the Trump Regime will do next to start a war!

[George II]

14. "Cowardly act of terrorism"? How about September 11, 2001?

[karynnj]

16. Here is a BBC article that is pretty sceptical on the earlier attacks

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48264499

What is clear is that some people want to stir up a war.

[Baclava]

17. We are already in a proxy war with Yemen...have been for some time

Arms Sales to Saudis Leave American Fingerprints on Yemen’s Carnage

CAIRO — When a Saudi F-15 warplane takes off from King Khalid air base in southern Saudi Arabia for a bombing run over Yemen, it is not just the plane and the bombs that are American.

American mechanics service the jet and carry out repairs on the ground. American technicians upgrade the targeting software and other classified technology, which Saudis are not allowed to touch. The pilot has likely been trained by the United States Air Force.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/25/world/middleeast/yemen-us-saudi-civilian-war.html

[karynnj]

19. Yes and that even started before Trump, although the US worked for a ceasefire then

Kerry has pointed out that it was the Sunni countries that broke away from the UN/US negotiated deal.

[Javaman]

20. talking about sending 120k troops, moving a battle group to the gulf...

Spain noping the fuck out of the Mediterranean so they don't get caught up in any potential bullshit the orange asshole starts.

things are happening whether we want them or not.

and the orange asshole starts his "no collusion war" without a care in the fucking world.