No air defence system is impenetrable and it's a lesson Saudi Arabia has learned the hard way
The explosions were loud and the blaze lit the night sky when Saudi Arabia’s energy installations were hit at two separate locations on September 14.
“A lot of what Saudi Arabia buys doesn’t provide defence against these sort of attacks. It has a lot of battle tanks, helicopters and jets. But they are not effective against such incoming missiles,” says Dr Mauro Gilli, a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies in Zurich. The recent attack has raised concern since it targeted the Abqaiq oil processing plant, the largest such facility in the world. A fire there had disrupted half of Saudi Arabia’s oil exports, unnerving the international oil market as the country alone meets more than five percent of the world’s demand. Can any air defence system stop all incoming rockets and drones? The answer is probably no, says Omran Lamrani, a weapons expert at Stratfor, a Texas-based think tank.
Lamrani says the actual failure of Saudi Arabia’s military has been in locating and destroying the platforms from where Houthis have launched attacks. Asymmetric warfare adopted in modern conflicts have handicapped even well-equipped armies in dealing with them. And if US officials are accurate in concluding that it originated from Iran then this would mark the first time the Shia Muslim country has fired missiles at its regional foe Saudi Arabia.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Evidence indicates Iranian arms used in Saudi attack, Riyadh saysSaudi Arabia said on Monday that the attack on its oil facilities was carried ou...
Read more »
Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke with Saudi, Iraqi leaders about 'unprecedented attack' on Saudi oil supply'The United States military, with our interagency team, is working with our partners to address this unprecedented attack and defend the international rules-based order that is being undermined by Iran,' Esper tweeted.
Read more »
Saudi-led coalition: Evidence indicates Iranian arms used in Saudi attackEvidence indicates Iranian arms used in Saudi attack, says Saudi-led coalition
Read more »
Mike Pompeo heading to Saudi Arabia to 'coordinate' response to Saudi oil attackSecretary of State Mike Pompeo is heading to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the recent attack on Saudi oil facilities that has rattled world markets and left the region on edge.
Read more »
Saudi Arabia says 'We don't know' who attacked its oil sites after U.S. accuses IranThe U.S. has yet to provide evidence to back up claims it was Iran, not Yemen's Houthi movement that was behind an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities.
Read more »
Pompeo heads to Saudi Arabia to discuss 'response' against IranUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will discuss with Riyadh possible retaliation after Washington said it had proof that last week's attacks on Saudi oil sites originated in Iran, a claim Tehran denies.
Read more »