Saudis opt for words not weapons
The kingdom sees Iran's hand behind the recent attacks but is holding fire for now
Saudis were shocked and angered by the audacious drone assault on oil facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais. But, as efforts were made to maintain the flow of crude oil out of the kingdom, the official reaction to the devastating attacks was surprisingly restrained. The cabinet was not summoned into emergency session, nor were there immediate calls for retaliation. The Saudis have presented evidence that they say proves the drones and missiles used were Iranian and were not fired from Yemen. They also believe that Iran was involved in launching the weapons. But, in general, the focus has been on portraying the incident as an act of terrorism against vital energy targets that should concern the wh
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future
