admin   2019-09-17 01:53   120 人阅读  0 条评论

Attack on Saudi oil field a game-changer in Gulf confrontation

翻译编辑：清波门 /南外英语系群

Analysis by Tim Lister, CNN
Updated 2100 GMT (0500 HKT) September 15, 2019



It's unclear when Abqaiq, which is operated by Saudi giant Aramco, will be fully operational again.




A satellite image taken Saturday, September 14, 2019, shows thick black smoke rising from the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia. 2019年9月14日

Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed the attack, saying that 10 drones had targeted Abqaiq, as well as the Khurais oilfield. But attacks of this scale and accuracy would represent a sudden and remarkable increase in Houthi capabilities, and neither the United States nor Saudi Arabia is buying the claim.

The United States swiftly discounted the Houthi claim. Late Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted: "Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply." And he added: "There is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen."


美国迅速否认胡塞的说法。周六晚些时候，美国国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥(Mike Pompeo)在推特上写道:“伊朗现在对世界能源供应发起了前所未有的攻击。”他补充说:“没有证据表明袭击来自也门。”

Pompeo blames Iran for drone attacks on Saudi oil field

In response Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused Pompeo of engaging in deception. He wrote on Twitter: "Having failed at 'max pressure', @SecPompeo's turning to 'max deceit' US & its clients are stuck in Yemen because of illusion that weapon superiority will lead to military victory. Blaming Iran won't end disaster."

But where did this attack originate and who was behind it?





Coordinated strikes knock out half of Saudi oil capacity, 5 million barrels a day|

Houthi drones are based on Iranian models, themselves often developed from North Korean technology. They are mostly short-range, up to 186 miles (300 km). However, a UN experts' panel reported in January on the deployment of longer-range drones "that would allow the Houthi forces to strike targets deep into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates."

The UN panel said it had information that one had crashed within 18 miles (30 km) of Riyadh.



Even so, the maximum range of this system, dubbed the UAV-X, would be between 740 and 930 miles (1,200 and 1,500 km), depending on wind conditions. The distance from Houthi-held parts of Yemen to Abqaiq is about 800 miles (1,300 km).

A source with knowledge of the incident told CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen late Saturday that preliminary indications were the drones/missiles "did not originate from Yemen and likely originated from Iraq." A second source in the Gulf region told CNN that while there was no proof yet, the indications were that the attack originated in southern Iraq.



No clear movement toward a meeting between Trump and Iranian President in New York


The Iraqi government Sunday issued a statement rejecting reports "about its land being used to attack Saudi oil facilities."

亲伊朗的民兵组织在伊拉克南部根深蒂固，负责外国行动的伊朗革命卫队“圣城军”（圣城旅Quds Force)也驻扎在那里。今年早些时候，一些地区分析人士估计，对沙特阿拉伯北部Afif泵站的无人机袭击源自伊拉克。但没有确凿的证据。


The Houthis themselves have suggested, without providing any evidence, that they had help from inside the kingdom for these latest attacks. Their spokesman Yahya Saree said the operation followed "an accurate intelligence operation and advance monitoring and cooperation of honorable people inside the kingdom."

Analysts take that to mean elements of the restive Shia population in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. Abqaiq lies between the predominantly Shia area of Qatif and Ahsa, which has a substantial minority Shia population. But they caution that it's in the Houthis' interests to try to stir internal tensions and it seems far-fetched that local people could have assisted such an attack.



The attack took out roughly half of Saudi Arabia's oil output.

Wherever the attack originated and whoever pulled the trigger, these attacks are a step-change in what has already become a dangerous confrontation, with the sabotage of merchant shipping in the Gulf and the acute deterioration of the situation in Yemen, as well as several aerial attacks on Shia militia camps in Iraq in recent months.

While not confirming it was behind the attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is prepared to strike at pro-Iranian actors wherever they are considered a threat, including in Iraq.



No previous attack, since the Yemen conflict began four years ago, has interrupted oil supplies. This one has taken 5.7 million barrels a day off the market and demonstrated the vulnerability of the pumping heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in advanced air defense systems. Ayham Kamal at the Eurasia Group says that the "critical problem for the kingdom is structural; most of Saudi Arabia's air defense systems are designed to defend against traditional threats and are ill-equipped to tackle asymmetrical aerial threats such as drones."


沙特阿拉伯在先进的防空系统上投入巨资。欧亚集团(Eurasia Group)的艾汉姆•卡迈勒(Ayham Kamal)表示，“沙特面临的关键问题是结构性的;沙特阿拉伯的大多数防空系统旨在抵御传统威胁，但装备不完善，无法应对无人机等不对称空中威胁。”

Bolton bolts and Iran war fever suddenly drops

That vulnerability is enhanced when so many essential parts of the infrastructure -- "storage, processing, and compressor trains -- are located within a small area," he adds.

The attacks have drawn in the international community, with the US declaring that it is ready to open its Strategic Petroleum Reserve if necessary, and President Donald Trump calling Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

At present, there is plentiful oil on the market. OPEC and its producing ally Russia have cut production this year to support prices. But Saudi Arabia is normally the organization's "swing producer" with the ability to reduce or increase the flow as required. That ability is crimped for now.


这些袭击吸引了国际社会的关注。美国宣布，如有必要，准备开放其战略石油储备，美国总统唐纳德•特朗普(Donald Trump)致电沙特王储穆罕默德•本•萨勒曼(Mohammed bin Salman)。


Much depends on the damage reports, and what "work-arounds" might be possible to restore full production and soothe markets' nerves. "The most critical elements of Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure include several redundancies," Kamal says.

How Saudi Arabia will respond in other ways -- such as redoubling its military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen -- is yet to be seen.

CNN's Aqeel Najim and Sara Mazloumsaki contributed to this report.



CNN Aqeel Najim与Sara Mazloumsak 撰文


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