Aramco attacks .. King Salman promises "appropriate" measures and the Houthis stop bombing Saudi Arabia

Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz said that the Kingdom will take appropriate measures to maintain its security and stability, after completing the investigation into the bombing of Aramco factories. This coincides with the announcement of the Houthi group to stop the bombing of Saudi Arabia by drones and other forms of targeting.

"Following the completion of the investigation into the attacks on Aramco's factories, the kingdom will take appropriate measures to safeguard its security and stability," King Salman said in a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"These criminal acts represent a serious escalation and a major threat to the security and stability of the region and to global oil supplies," he said.

On the other hand, Jumaa al-Houthi, through the speaker of its political council, Mehdi al-Mashat, announced the cessation of targeting Saudi territory by drones and other forms of targeting.

"We expect a similar announcement from Saudi Arabia to stop all forms of targeting of Yemeni territory and reserve the right to respond if it does not respond to this initiative," Mashat said.

It is noteworthy that last Saturday, Riyadh announced that the facilities Abqaiq and Khurais affiliated to Aramco in the east of the Kingdom, were attacked by drones, in an operation adopted by the Houthis. The two facilities are the heart of the oil industry in the Kingdom, where they reach most of the crude extracted for processing, before conversion to export or refining.

On the other hand, US President Donald Trump said today that he expected the success of sanctions on Iran, which he blames for what happened in Saudi Arabia, adding that he favors this strategy over military action.

"I think sanctions are working," Trump said at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. "The military option will work, a very tough form of victory, but it should never be used."

"I have restraint towards Iran," he said. "Some understand it, others have demanded swift action."

The Pentagon announced earlier that it was cooperating with the Saudi side on Aramco's attacks and had sent an assessment team on the ground, noting that it was assessing the situation in the Middle East and trying to find out who was responsible.

State Department spokesman Jonathon Hoffman said current indications were that Iran was somehow responsible for attacks on Saudi oil fields and that it was offering options to President Trump, who ultimately decides what the Pentagon is doing.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said his country wanted a peaceful solution to the crisis with Iran and was seeking to build an alliance for peace. He stressed in remarks during a visit to Abu Dhabi that there would be more sanctions on Tehran.

Iranian exile
On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated that the Aramco attack did not start from Iranian territory.

Hossein Dehghan, adviser to the Iranian defense advisor, said that the security of the Gulf waters is in Iran's custody, and that America is responsible for the loss of regional security.

Dehghan said the United States and Saudi Arabia were shocked and puzzled after striking Aramco's oil facilities, stressing that those who would attack Iran would receive an unexpected response and large-scale strikes.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Moussavi said that if Washington or its allies strike Iran militarily, Tehran's response would be devastating and broad, stressing that Washington's talk of negotiation was meaningless given the continuing military threat and what he called economic terrorism.