Heshmat
******
5h..Saudi Arabia confirms “terror attack” on oil infrastructure at the port of #Yanbu, causing “limited damage”.
“Saudi Aramco has stopped pumping in the pipeline, where the damage is being assessed and the station undergoing repairs.”
******
The attack on the Saudi’s East-West pipeline pumping stations is significant.
These pipelines replaced the passage through the Strait of Hormuz & reduce #Iran’s ability to influence oil flow through the Strait.
*******
“Seven drones carried out attacks on vital Saudi installations on Tuesday, the Masirah TV reported, according to Reuters.”
Masirah TV is the official network of the #Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
******
Bahrain & Jordan are condemning today’s attacks targeting Saudi oil facilities.
Iraq is expressing concerns about the instability seen in international/regional waters, effectively siding with Arab states against #Iran.
******
The drones - if they came from #Yemen - would have traveled up all the coast, passing numerous #Saudi military unites and air defence systems - over hours!
So the question is, whether or not they were launched closer to #Yanbu.
*******
4h..Saudi Arabia said armed drones struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in a terrorist attack just two days after four oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
*******
3h..Egypt expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia following today’s attacks on two of the Kingdom’s oil facilities.
****************************************
3h..Two Saudi oil pipelines were attacked by #Iran-backed Houthi drones.
Saudi Energy Minister said Sunday’s oil tanker attack & today’s oil pipeline drone attacks aimed to target int’l oil flow
(7) Qasef-1 suicide drones packed with explosives were used in today’s attack.
#Iran-backed Houthis are claiming responsibility.
*******
3h..#Iran-backed Houthi militias:
”In the coming hours we will reveal details of the largest operation we have carried out deep inside Saudi Arabia.”
******
3h..Qasef-1 drones used by #Iran-backed Houthis are renamed Iranian HESA Ababil attack drones, operated by the #IRGC.
They were almost certainly delivered to the Houthis by Iran. IRGC technical advisers & maybe commanders took part in this attack on Saudi Arabia.
*****
#Iran-backed Houthi militias have officially claimed responsibility for today’s terrorist attack on Saudi oil facilities.
********************************
*******************************************
***************
US President Donald Trump on Monday:
“It’s going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens. They’re not going to be happy... They know what I mean.”
*******
13m..U.S. Vice President Mike Pence:
We will continue to stand against #Iran’s regime & its support of Hezbollah, terrorist orgs in areas such as Yemen.
Arab League, Egypt, Kuwait condemn today’s terrorist attack by Iran-backed Houthi militias against Saudi oil facilities.
Man Pleads Guilty to Tossing 5-Year-Old Boy From Mall of America Balcony, Faces 19 Years in Prison
FTA:
A man who reportedly told investigators that he went to the Mall of America “looking for someone to kill” pleaded guilty Tuesday to throwing a 5-year-old boy from a third-floor balcony and faces 19 years in prison.
Emmanuel Aranda, of Minneapolis, was charged with attempted premeditated first-degree murder in the April 12 attack. The child suffered head trauma and multiple broken bones but survived.
Aranda, 24, will be sentenced June 3. His plea deal calls for prosecutors to drop an aggravated-circumstances component to the charge that could have meant an additional year in prison. Prosecutor Cheri Ann Townsend said the boy’s family supports the plea deal.
The child plunged almost 40 feet and suffered head trauma and multiple broken bones. His family released a statement in late April saying he was alert and no longer in critical condition. On Monday, the family said he continues to heal.