Return of the Hashishin (Assassin) Cult?: Wider Implications of the Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities Maj Gen P K Mallick, VSM (Retd) Consultant, VIF © Vivekananda International Foundation, 2020 Vivekananda International Foundation 3, San Martin Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021 Tel: 011-24121764, Fax: 011-66173415 E-mail:
[email protected], Website: www.vifindia.org ISBN : 978-81-943795-0-8 All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Published by Vivekananda International Foundation. Contents Chapter 1 : Preliminaries 5 Chapter 2 : Immediate Reaction of Countries 11 Chapter 3 : Effect on Economy and Oil Market 24 Chapter 4 : The Attack: Who, From Where, and With What Weapon Systems 36 Chapter 5 : Effects on Saudi Arabia 51 Chapter 6 : Effects on Iran’s Situation 65 Chapter 7 : Effect on U.S. Interests 91 Chapter 8 : Effects on Other Players 107 Chapter 9 : Military Implications 109 Chapter 10 : India’s Concerns 125 Chapter 11 : Conclusion 136 Chapter 1 Preliminaries Introduction Considered to be the most serious kinetic attack on oil facilities in the Gulf since the first Gulf War of 1991, on September 14, 2019 the oil facilities in Saudi Arabia was attacked. The attack struck Abqaiq’s large Aramco oil processing facility considered the largest of its kind in the world run by the Saudi state oil company Aramco and another site at the Khurais oil field. With remarkable precision, the aerial strikes hit more than a dozen oil installations in Khurais and Abqaiq.