Moscow, Russia. The Kremlin on Thursday declined to comment on a Reuters report that US intelligence analysts were investigating whether Russia assisted Iranian drone attacks on CIA facilities in the Gulf through targeting information or advanced drone technology.
Four people familiar with US intelligence said officials had not reached firm conclusions on possible Russian involvement.
Intelligence assessment
Analysts cited the effectiveness and apparent precision of the strikes, as well as Russia’s broader technical support for Iran, as possible evidence of Russian involvement, according to the sources.
Reuters and other media have reported, and US officials have acknowledged, that Russia has provided targeting and other assistance for Iranian strikes on US targets in the Gulf. The inquiry into possible Russian support specifically for attacks on CIA facilities had not previously been disclosed.
Reported attacks on CIA sites
At least two CIA sites were struck in March, Reuters and other outlets have reported. One was the CIA station inside the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while another was in eastern Iraq.
Some sources said additional CIA sites had been hit but declined to provide details because their locations are closely guarded secrets.
An official with access to an internal memo from a Western intelligence agency said the document concluded that Russia had probably played a role in targeting CIA facilities in the region. The official requested that the memo’s precise authorship not be disclosed.
Drone allegations
Two Western officials in the Gulf who were briefed on intelligence reports said analysts believed the attack in Saudi Arabia involved two Russian-enhanced versions of Iran’s Shahed drones.
One drone reportedly created an opening in a vulnerable section of the US embassy’s exterior, and a second drone flew through the opening and detonated. No deaths or injuries were reported.
Russia has long provided assistance to Iran, while the reported direct support for targeting CIA sites would represent a further level of involvement as Washington seeks to end the Iran war.
