Russia may have helped Iran identify targets during attack on US base in Saudi Arabia - CNN
Illustrative photo: Iranian military personnel against a backdrop of missiles and a map of Iran (Getty Images)
Russian reconnaissance satellites may have helped Iran obtain data for more precise strikes on US facilities. Fourteen Russian satellites flew over a US base in Saudi Arabia two days before the devastating attack, according to CNN.
The outlet investigated how Iran improved its targeting of US military facilities and what role Russian satellites may have played in this.
According to journalists, 14 Russian reconnaissance satellites flew over Prince Sultan US military base in Saudi Arabia two days before Iran’s strike.
The satellites flew over the facility in a specific sequence and at the required times. This could have made it possible to collect a wide range of intelligence on US positions.
US officials and international intelligence sources told CNN that such information could have helped Tehran plan the attack. In particular, it may have allowed Iran to more accurately determine the location of military equipment and other important facilities at the base.
At the same time, CNN does not claim that Russia directly provided Iran with data specifically for this attack. The journalists point to a possible role of Russian satellite intelligence based on information from US officials and international intelligence sources.
What happened before
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that on September 9 it had launched a ballistic missile strike on a US base in Jordan.
Later, photos emerged showing damage to US military facilities following missile and drone attacks.
On September 11, drones attacked the key East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. The strike damaged pumping stations and temporarily halted the pipeline’s operations.
US President Donald Trump said Iran was likely behind the attack. The pipeline is strategically important to Saudi Arabia because it allows the country to export oil while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
