Weapons in Saudi oil industry attack similar to Iranian ones, analysts say

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A cruise missile and drone fragments that Saudi Arabia says it recovered from an attack on its oil industry bear similarities to Iranian-manufactured weapons, though more information is needed to make a definitive link, analysts tell The Associated Press.

Particularly striking is the cruise missile, which they say resembles a Quds-1 missile previously displayed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels during a televised weapons exhibition in July.

However, the analysts uniformly agree that missile, with its small, Czech-made TJ100 turbo engine, is limited to a range of 700 kilometers (435 miles). That means it could not have been fired from Yemen, which is over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the oil-processing facility and oil field that were targeted in Saturday’s attack claimed by the Houthis.

“It did not come from Yemen,” says Michael Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. “I think the intel reporting seems to be pretty consistently saying that no, this did not come from Yemen, even though they claimed credit for it.”

Saudi Arabia alleged Wednesday that the attack was “unquestionably sponsored by Iran.” Iran denies being involved and has threatened the US that it will retaliate “immediately” if Tehran is targeted in response.

— AP