Iran War: Saudi 'Defensive' Coalition, Egypt LNG False Flag, and Postol on Iranian Missiles
Despite a lull in live feeds from the Iran conflict, the atmosphere remains charged. Critics, including Erin Brockovich, have derided Saudi Arabia's formation of a 'defensive' coalition as a 'lame-assed show of force,' even though the US is involved. Ansar Allah continues to evade US efforts. Meanwhile, Egypt has not attributed a drone strike on an American LNG platform, with Iran alleging it was an Israeli false flag operation. Ted Postol, during a discussion with Daniel Davis, evaluated Iranian missiles as superior to Russia's Oreshnik in terms of terminal speed and kinetic energy. The IRGC claimed to have destroyed three F-35s and damaged three others at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan. The US is contemplating a withdrawal from Kuwait, which has endured numerous Iranian missile and drone attacks. Lloyd's List has expanded high-risk maritime zones, and Saudi Arabia is gearing up for potential sea and land operations against the Houthis. Analysts express skepticism about the efficacy of further US strikes, while former CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie has proposed relocating US bases from the Gulf to Israel. Additionally, the Trump administration is looking into reopening dormant refineries, such as the St. Croix facility, to tackle rising fuel prices.
Key facts
- Saudi Arabia is forming a defensive coalition, with 14 states including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, and Djibouti supporting a multinational maritime defense coalition.
- Egypt has not assigned responsibility for a drone attack on an American-owned LNG platform; Iran depicted it as an Israel false flag.
- Ted Postol assessed Iranian missiles as more powerful than Russia's Oreshnik, with terminal speeds over 4 km/s and explosive power equivalent to 5,000-6,000 lbs of TNT.
- IRGC released images of F-35s destroyed at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan, claiming three destroyed and three damaged.
- The US is rethinking its footprint in Kuwait, which has been pummeled by Iranian missiles and drones, targeting infrastructure.
- Lloyd's List extended high-risk areas for marine underwriters, shifting range 800 km north to include Jeddah and Yanbu.
- Saudi Arabia is preparing a major military offensive against Houthis by sea and possibly land, with forces withdrawing from east Yemen.
- Former CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie recommended moving US bases from the Gulf to Israel to better protect assets.
- The Trump administration is in talks to reopen defunct petroleum refineries, including the St. Croix refinery, to address fuel prices.
Entities
Institutions
- Saudi Arabia
- Ansar Allah
- IRGC
- Lloyd's List
- Joint War Committee
- CENTCOM
- Jewish Institute for National Security of America
- James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
- National Energy Dominance Council
- EPA
- Aljazeera
- PressTV
- Responsible Statecraft
- Guardian
- Bloomberg
- Middle East Eye
- Politico
- NBC
- Tasnim News
- Fars Telegram
- MintPress News
- HFI Research
- Ambrey
Locations
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
- Sana'a
- Dhale
- Riyadh
- Kuwait
- Qeshm Island
- Jordan
- Al Azraq Air Base
- Egypt
- Damietta
- Strait of Hormuz
- Red Sea
- Bab al-Mandab
- Jeddah
- Yanbu
- Qatar
- al-Udeid
- UAE
- Bahrain
- Israel
- St. Croix
- California
- Virgin Islands