Iran Claims Attack on Saudi Jubail Industrial Zone in Retaliation for Petrochemical Plant Attack

Reuters reported that the Jubail petrochemical industrial zone is a core downstream area of Saudi Arabia's oil industry. This vast industrial city hosts multi-billion dollar joint ventures between Saudi state oil giant Saudi Aramco, its petrochemical subsidiary SABIC, and major Western energy companies. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement saying they had struck several facilities in Jubail, including the Sadara complex and an ExxonMobil facility, with several medium-range missiles and suicide drones. Sadara is a $20 billion joint venture between Saudi Aramco and US chemical company Dow Chemical, but it ceased operations last week. It is currently unclear whether any Saudi Arabian facilities were attacked. Images verified by Reuters showed smoke and fire rising in the direction of Jubail. The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense earlier stated that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 7 ballistic missiles launched towards eastern Saudi Arabia, with fragments falling near energy facilities. Several petrochemical plants in the Iranian city of Asaluyeh, on the Persian Gulf, reported multiple explosions late yesterday. These plants are connected to Iran's massive South Pars natural gas field in the Persian Gulf. The IRGC also said they struck a facility belonging to US petrochemical company Chevron Phillips in Juaymah near Jubail. However, this company does not appear to have any facilities in Juaymah, but rather in Jubail. Donald Trump had previously issued an ultimatum to Iran, demanding it reopen the Strait of Hormuz by the end of today, or face the bombing of civilian infrastructure. Iran, in turn, threatened to attack similar facilities in the Persian Gulf region in retaliation. (Compiler: Zhang Zhengqian) 1150408