The Iranian regime has its back to the wall and senses its end is approaching. Only this can explain the decision to attack oil facilities in countries across the Gulf – a type of doomsday weapon.
As far as is known, the American Incirlik Air Base in Turkey – more or less the only country in the region that still gave some support to the ayatollahs – has not been attacked. Thus far, at least one oil facility has been targeted. The facility belongs to the world's largest oil company, the Saudi "Aramco," in Ras Tanura. Operations at the facility were halted immediately to prevent damage and fires, and a decision was made across all Gulf states – Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait in the north – for a dramatic reduction in the activity of all oil and gas facilities, including pumping, transmission, refining, and liquefaction. All militaries are diverting the bulk of their defense capabilities to the oil facilities, and since last night, aircraft from Britain and France stationed in the area have joined them, following a decision reached Sunday in Europe.
Who will join the US and Israel?
An Arab diplomat familiar with military coordination told Israel Hayom that intelligence and operational cooperation among all countries is improving under American leadership, and that joint exercises and experience from the June war are aiding this.
According to the official, Iran has attacked civilian targets in the Gulf states from the first moment and not just American bases, and it continued during the night with more strikes on oil facilities and infrastructure. The defense forces of the Gulf states managed to intercept most of the missiles and UAVs, the official said, noting that the UAE was the most targeted country.
That same Arab diplomat added that the decision made Monday at the Gulf Cooperation Council allows each of them to decide on joining American and Israeli forces in counterattacks against Iran, strikes that will focus on missile and UAV launch sites. According to the source, there is no decision yet on a retaliatory strike against Iranian oil facilities, but if the Iranian fire on Gulf facilities continues, this is certainly an option.
Alertness in Europe
The CENTCOM war room, which coordinates activities between regional militaries, has added all regional countries to the battle picture, including Cyprus, which was also attacked, as well as Greece, France, and Italy. The British were in the picture from the first moment and even participated in the interceptions of missiles and UAVs launched toward Israel and Cyprus while they passed over Jordanian soil. On Monday, an Iranian UAV hit the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus. Representatives of the German military were also added to the circle of information recipients, in anticipation of the possibility that the German Air Force may be involved later.
The European decision was made both due to Iranian attacks on British and French bases in the Gulf, due to attacks on the Gulf states, and to prevent excessive damage to oil and gas facilities and the tankers carrying them, which could greatly increase their prices and primarily harm Europeans.
