By PoliZette Staff | September 15, 2019
President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday evening that U.S. investigators had “reason to believe” they knew who or what group had launched devastating attacks against a key Saudi oil facility on Saturday — and vowed that America was “locked and loaded depending on verification.”
While the president did not specify who or which country he believed was responsible for Saturday’s drone attacks, U.S. investigators previously have pointed the finger at Iran, as Fox News reported.
“Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked,” the president began in his tweet.
“There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!” the president also wrote.
Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019
Earlier on Sunday, Kevin McAleenan, acting head of the Department of Homeland Security, told Maria Bartiromo of “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News of the attack on oil infrastructure, “It was a very serious attack.”
“And the Department of State and Department of Defense will be working with our partners in the government of Saudi Arabia on appropriate defensive measures and responses.”
“On the U.S. side,” McAleenan added, “we don’t have a hostile actor like the Houthis that are supported by the Iranian government with that kind of capability with any range toward the United States. That said, drones or unmanned aerial systems do present a Homeland Security concern. We got new authority last year from Congress to both do research and development and start to put countermeasures in across our various missions, whether it’s the Secret Service, whether it’s CBP on the border or TSA protecting our airports and aviation infrastructure.”
“So it’s a key issue that we’re getting better at right now.”
Earlier on Sunday, Fox News reported the following: “Saudi oil sites attacked on Saturday — in a drone assault linked to Iran — were seen to have sustained damage after satellite images released Sunday captured char marks and smoke billowing from the world’s largest oil processing facility.”
“The weekend attack ignited huge fires at Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil processing facility and interrupted about 5.7 million barrels of crude oil production — over 5 percent of the world’s daily supply.”
Share your thoughts on this issue — and see below.
BREAKING: President Trump says US is "locked and loaded" to respond to attack on Saudi oil infrastructure – AFP
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 15, 2019
After coming off session highs, oil spikes again after Trump warns U.S. is “locked and loaded” for a response to the attack on a Saudi oil field https://t.co/5pjnGl9LzW pic.twitter.com/N2l49QmCr8
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) September 15, 2019
This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.
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