Drone strikes knock out half of Saudi oil capacity

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/14/business/saudi-oil-output-impacted-drone-attack/index.html

Drone strikes on key Saudi Arabian oil facilities, among the world's largest and most important energy production centers, have disrupted about half of the kingdom's oil capacity, or 5% of the daily global oil supply.

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday took responsibility for the attacks, saying 10 drones targeted state-owned Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais, according to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah news agency.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pinned the attack directly on Iran, which backs the Houthi rebels. "Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply. There is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen," he said on Twitter.

[dead0man]

How is this kind of thing not happening way more often?  It seems like it would be easy (relatively) to do, and bonus, you don't have to trick somebody into thinking that being a martyr was a good idea.

(I'm not talking about nations doing it to each other, that kind of thing happens fairly regularly, I'm talking about terrorists (and other ne'er-do-wells) implementing modern techs to pull off their shenanigans)

[Farmlands]

How is this kind of thing not happening way more often?  It seems like it would be easy (relatively) to do, and bonus, you don't have to trick somebody into thinking that being a martyr was a good idea.

(I'm not talking about nations doing it to each other, that kind of thing happens fairly regularly, I'm talking about terrorists (and other ne'er-do-wells) implementing modern techs to pull off their shenanigans)

Was wondering the same thing. The Houthis just destroyed five percent of the global oil supply at the relatively meager cost of ten drones. Never realised how much disruptive capability the technology could have until now.

[Omega21]

Not really sad for Saudi Arabia, Iran is better towards its citizens in every way (better means slightly less horrifying). Although the main thing that worries me about Iran is their extreme anti-Israel position.

Slightly concerned for the Oil Market, but that's about it.

[Mopsus]

Does anyone know how permanent the damage will be? This seems like, uh, kind of a big deal

[urutzizu]

If it really was the Houthies, then the Saudi Air Defence is ridiculously incompetent as the Oil Facilities were located in part of Saudi Arabia very far from the Yemeni Border. One of the reasons why i doubt that they actually did it. Possibily it was done by Iran, or it might have been a false flag. With Boltons firing, the Saudi, and more generally the anti-iran hawkish influence on the White house has been weakening. Talks looked more likely. Saudi Arabia may have engineered, or at least allowed the attacks to happen, in order to avert any sort of deescalation. Additionally they have for a long time been looking for an excuse to lower oil production, and thereby increase the oil price, against the will of the consuming Nations, namely the US. Now they have it.
A motive most certainly would be there, but its just Speculation.

[DINGO Joe]

Does anyone know how permanent the damage will be? This seems like, uh, kind of a big deal

Supposed can be restored in a matter of days, but I have no idea the accuracy of such statements

[President Johnson]

I know this may be crazy, but my first thought was actually they did it themselves to justify the terrible war in Yemen, where both sides are committing crimes against humanity.

At this point, I don't believe either side, to be completely honest.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

If it really was the Houthies, then the Saudi Air Defence is ridiculously incompetent as the Oil Facilities were located in part of Saudi Arabia very far from the Yemeni Border. One of the reasons why i doubt that they actually did it. Possibily it was done by Iran, or it might have been a false flag. With Boltons firing, the Saudi, and more generally the anti-iran hawkish influence on the White house has been weakening. Talks looked more likely. Saudi Arabia may have engineered, or at least allowed the attacks to happen, in order to avert any sort of deescalation. Additionally they have for a long time been looking for an excuse to lower oil production, and thereby increase the oil price, against the will of the consuming Nations, namely the US. Now they have it.
A motive most certainly would be there, but its just Speculation.

If it were false flag, I'd bet on the Emiratis being behind it as they have the most to gain and it would be relatively simple for them to have done it compared to other potential suspects.

[HillGoose]

I wonder exactly how much this will affect the market value of my XOM shares, given WTI futures jumped 11% after this happened and Brent jumped 13%.

Now I'm thinking I should leave work early so I can watch Daybreak Asia and see the market reaction at the open there.

[Crumpets]

How is this kind of thing not happening way more often?  It seems like it would be easy (relatively) to do, and bonus, you don't have to trick somebody into thinking that being a martyr was a good idea.

(I'm not talking about nations doing it to each other, that kind of thing happens fairly regularly, I'm talking about terrorists (and other ne'er-do-wells) implementing modern techs to pull off their shenanigans)

Was wondering the same thing. The Houthis just destroyed five percent of the global oil supply at the relatively meager cost of ten drones. Never realised how much disruptive capability the technology could have until now.

Just my guess, but I think it's a combination of wanting to hit Saudi in a way that they can draw direct benefit from - basically strategic blackmail with the ability to threaten further attacks - and the ability of Iran to assist them with weaponry/targeting info at any given time.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Freedom Fighters

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

I think it was Iran, my dad is about 70% sure he wants to blame Israel.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1173434704302751744

[Sir Mohamed]

Anyone who blew it up needs to be condemed, that's clear, but the West should have no bsuiness with Saudia Arabia anyway. They're a terrorist regime, spreading their perverted version of Islam and funding Sunni terrorists all over the place.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Drone warfare makes for such boring follow up movies in 3 years time.

And i thought the USA were the only people allowed to spew Death From Above in the Middle East.

Why do the "Houthi Rebels" sound like unemployed people who could even not afford a drone?

Therefore Iran.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Anyone who blew it up needs to be condemed, that's clear, but the West should have no bsuiness with Saudia Arabia anyway. They're a terrorist regime, spreading their perverted version of Islam and funding Sunni terrorists all over the place.

Saudi Arabia and it's UAE allies - assisted by our government - have been conducting a horrific years-long war, including bombing civilians and creating a famine via a blockade. And when the Houthis hit back at oil facilities they're the ones who needs to be condemned? I don't think so.  If the human scum running Saudi Arabia don't want their industry hit by drones, they can choose to stop committing war crimes. (And no, the fact that the Saudi's have a puppet president for Yemen doesn't make their war okay.)

[Lord Halifax]

Anyone who blew it up needs to be condemed, that's clear, but the West should have no bsuiness with Saudia Arabia anyway. They're a terrorist regime, spreading their perverted version of Islam and funding Sunni terrorists all over the place.

Saudi Arabia and it's UAE allies - assisted by our government - have been conducting a horrific years-long war, including bombing civilians and creating a famine via a blockade. And when the Houthis hit back at oil facilities they're the ones who needs to be condemned? I don't think so. If the human scum running Saudi Arabia don't want their industry hit by drones, they can choose to stop committing war crimes. (And no, the fact that the Saudi's have a puppet president for Yemen doesn't make their war okay.)

Oil facilities are definitely a legitimate military target. That really shouldn't be up for debate.

[SInNYC]

Anyone who blew it up needs to be condemed, that's clear, but the West should have no bsuiness with Saudia Arabia anyway. They're a terrorist regime, spreading their perverted version of Islam and funding Sunni terrorists all over the place.

If you start a war, you dont get to complain that you get attacked back.
And this attack especially was at a legitimate non-civilian target.

[dead0man]

I think it was Iran, my dad is about 70% sure he wants to blame Israel.

I laughed

[Sir Mohamed]

Anyone who blew it up needs to be condemed, that's clear, but the West should have no bsuiness with Saudia Arabia anyway. They're a terrorist regime, spreading their perverted version of Islam and funding Sunni terrorists all over the place.

If you start a war, you dont get to complain that you get attacked back.
And this attack especially was at a legitimate non-civilian target.

How about a cease fire on all sides? That would be the best solution. Obviously, Saudia Arabia is to be blamed for the war in the first place. For this and other reasons, MBS should face a UN trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

I think it was Iran, my dad is about 70% sure he wants to blame Israel.

I laughed

Why?

[CumbrianLefty]

John Bolton blames Iran.

Now there's a shock

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

There's a lot of fingers being pointed at Iran, mostly from Mr. Trump's completely untrustworthy administration. But what I'm not finding so far is any reporting on evidence.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

If the Houthis were behind the attack as claimed, it only reaffirms the Arabs sucks at the regular warfare (Saudis), while doing damn well at the assymetric warfare (Houthis).

Just to recap, the Saudis spends $67.6 billion on their military, which is the third highest amount after the United States and China.