Pompeo says US backs Saudi Arabia's right to defend itself Gulf tensions

Saudi oil attacks an Iranian 'act of war' - Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said America backs Saudi Arabia's "right to defend itself" after a weekend attack targeted the heart of its oil industry, comments coming after he described the assault as an "act of war." TRT World reports.

The attacks have reignited fears over a wider conflagration in the region, as tensions remain high over Iran's collapsing nuclear deal with world powers.

Pompeo's comments on Twitter came as he was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after meeting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's defence minister.

UAE joins US-led coalition to protect Mideast waterways

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it had joined a US-led coalition to protect waterways across the Mideast after an attack on Saudi oil installations.

The UAE is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and joined the kingdom in its war in Yemen against the Houthis.

The state-run WAM news agency quoted Salem al Zaabi of the Emirati Foreign Ministry as saying the UAE joined the coalition to "ensure global energy security and the continued flow of energy supplies to the global economy."

Houthis threaten to attack targets in UAE

Yemen's Houthi group, which claims it was behind the weekend attack on Saudi oil facilities, said on Wednesday it has dozens of sites located in the United Arab Emirates listed as possible targets for attacks.

A military spokesman of the Iran-aligned organization said the Houthis have new drones, powered by "normal and jet engines" that can reach targets deep in Saudi Arabia.

UN sends experts to probe Saudi blasts

UN experts have left for Saudi Arabia to probe weekend blasts at oil installations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said as he warned of “devastating” consequences if the crisis escalates.

The UN chief said that the experts were authorised to start a probe under the Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, which the US blames for the attacks.

While saying that he would wait to see the results of the investigation, he said he “strongly” condemned the attack.

“I think this attack is a dramatic escalation in the Gulf and I believe that we absolutely need to stop this kind of escalation,” he said.

“If there would be a major confrontation in the Gulf, it would have devastating consequences for the region and globally,” he said.

Saudi says Iran missile, drones used in attack

Saudi Arabia said that strikes on its oil infrastructure came from the "north" and were "unquestionably" sponsored by Iran, but that the kingdom was still investigating where exactly they were launched from.

"The attack was launched from the north and unquestionably sponsored by Iran," defence ministry spokesman Turki al Maliki told a press conference. "We are working to know the exact launch point."

However, he would not be drawn on whether Saudi Arabia believed Iran would ultimately be found to be the culprit, only saying they were confident they would find where the weapons were fired from.

Maliki displayed pieces of what he said were cruise missiles and drones used in the strike, recovered from the site of Saturday's attack in the country's east.

Iran says retaliation against US imminent if targeted

Iran has warned the US it would retaliate "immediately" if Tehran is targeted over a weekend attack on Saudi oil installations, its state-run news agency reported Wednesday, further raising Mideast tensions.

Iran's president and foreign minister also may not be able to attend next week's high-level meetings at the UN as the US has yet to issue them visas, IRNA reported.

The IRNA separately reported Wednesday that Iran's first delegation for the annual UN event had not left Iran because they had not acquired visas. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was to travel to New York on Friday, with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani following Monday, according to the agency.

Trump orders Iran curbs as Saudi readies attack evidence

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he ordered a major increase in sanctions on Iran in the latest US move to pressure Tehran, which US officials say probably carried out a crippling weekend attack on Saudi oil facilities.

Trump gave no explanation in a brief Twitter posting announcing the order, but the initiative follows repeated US assertions that the Islamic Republic was behind Saturday's attack on the kingdom, a close US ally.

"I have just instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase sanctions on the country of Iran!," he wrote.

"They want to impose maximum ... pressure on Iran through slander," Iran's President Rouhani said.

"We don't want conflict in the region ... who started the conflict?" he added, blaming Washington and its Gulf allies for the war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia joins US-led maritime coalition

Saudi Arabia said it joined a US-led coalition to secure the Mideast's waterways amid threats from Iran after an attack targeting its crucial oil industry.

The kingdom's decision to enter the International Maritime Security Construct came ahead of a planned visit by Pompeo.

Saudi officials separately planned to share information about the weapons used to attack a Saudi oil field and the world's largest crude oil processing plant Saturday.

Iran denies role in Saudi attacks in message to US

Iran has sent the United States a diplomatic note denying any role in attacks on Saudi oil installations and warning of a response to any action, state media said Wednesday.

The formal memo sent on Monday through the Swiss embassy, which represents US interests in Tehran, "emphasised that Iran has not played any role in this attack and denies and condemns" the US claims to the contrary, the official IRNA news agency said.

Saudi to unveil 'evidence' linking Iran to attacks

Saudi Arabia said it will unveil evidence on Wednesday linking regional foe Iran to attacks on key oil installations, as Pompeo heads to the kingdom to discuss possible retaliation.

Riyadh, which is bogged down in a five-year war against Tehran-aligned rebels in neighbouring Yemen, has said that the weapons used in the strikes were Iranian-made, but has so far not directly blamed its arch-rival.

However, the Saudi defence ministry said its spokesman would present evidence from the site of the weekend attacks that halved Saudi oil production, sending global energy markets into a tailspin.

"He will announce the final results of the investigation and present material evidence and Iranian weapons proving the Iranian regime's involvement in the terrorist attack," the ministry said.

Iran's Rouhani says Houthi attack a warning to Saudi Arabia

Iranian President Rouhani told his Cabinet that Saudi Arabia should see the Houthi-claimed attack on its oil facilities as a warning to end its war in Yemen.

Rouhani said Yemenis "did not hit hospitals, they did not hit schools or the Sanaa bazaar", mentioning the Saudi-led coalition's widely-criticised airstrikes.

President Rouhani also said US accusations that Iran was behind an attack on Saudi oil sites were aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran, state media reported.

The state-run media added Rouhani may cancel his appearance at the UN General Assembly meeting this month if the US fails to issue visas for him and the foreign minister in the next few hours.

France sending experts to investigate Saudi oil attack

France will send experts to Saudi Arabia to help with investigations into an attack on Saudi oil installations, President Emmanuel Macron's office said on Wednesday.

Macron strongly condemned the attack, the Elysee Palace said, and assured Salman that France was committed to stability in the Middle East.

"In response to a Saudi request, President Macron confirmed to the crown prince that France will send experts to Saudi Arabia to take part in investigations aimed at revealing the origin and modalities of the attacks," the Elysee said.

US warns citizens over travelling to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department called on its citizens to "exercise increased caution" while travelling to Saudi Arabia, a travel advisory posted on its website said on Wednesday.

US mission personnel and their families are not permitted to use the airport in Abha without chief of mission approval, the note added.

Abha airport has been frequently attacked by drones and missiles launched from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthi group.