Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Saudi Arabia for an emergency meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The meeting comes after Iran bombed Saudi oil fields over the weekend with a drone, which Pompeo confirmed today was an act of war.
He made the comments onboard to reporters while in route to the Middle East.
On Iran: Pompeo called the attacks on Saudi Arabia an “act of war” — "We were blessed there were no Americans killed in this attack, but anytime you have an act of war of this nature, there’s always a risk that could happen.” He told this to reporters on his flight to Jeddah.
— Edward Wong (@ewong) September 18, 2019
More details from ABC News:
A team of U.S. military forensics specialists is already on the ground to gather evidence from the sites of the attacks, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him in London.
The U.S. is gathering “compelling forensic evidence” from the debris of the cruise missiles and drones at the two oil facilities attacked this weekend, said a U.S. official. That evidence “will provide a compelling case of where they came from,” the official said.
Another U.S. official said there was enough information to show that the cruise missiles and drones were launched from southwestern Iran.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also called the Iranian attack an act of war earlier today and urged President Trump to make that case at the United Nations General Assembly next week.
Sen. Lindsey Graham: "This attack on the oil refinery, by any reasonable definition, is an act of war. It is attacking the world economy the stability of the oil markets throughout the world." pic.twitter.com/hc0ddMDoXN
— The Hill (@thehill) September 18, 2019
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Pompeo's comments come just hours after President Trump ordered the Treasury Department to put more sanctions on the Iranian regime.
I have just instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase Sanctions on the country of Iran!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2019
Over the weekend, Trump said the United States is "locked and loaded," but will do everything possible to avoid a military conflict.
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
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