Now in the Middle East, too: Iran threatens Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure

As Iran is about to send additional weapons, including ballistic missiles, to Russia to use in its bombardments of the Ukrainian power grid, there are concerns that Iran may be also planning an attack on energy infrastructure in the Middle East.

The Wall Street Journal was the first to set off the alarm with a story “Saudi Arabia, U.S. on High Alert After Warning of Imminent Iranian Attack” based on shared intelligence between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

“We are concerned about the threat picture, and we remain in constant contact through military and intelligence channels with the Saudis,” Reuters quoted the spokesperson from the National Security Council as saying after the WSJ publication. “We will not hesitate to act in the defense of our interests and partners in the region.”

A Saudi official told CNN, too, that Saudi Arabia shared intelligence of a possible attack with the United States, but the source did not give any specifics. Another source, a U.S. official, said U.S. F-22 fighter jets already in Saudi Arabia are available to counter any threats.

According to the second source, the United States believes Tehran may be trying to focus attention on Saudi Arabia, which Iran accuses of helping fuel so-called anti-Hijab protests.

On Oct. 20, the top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, issued what he described as a warning to Saudi leaders not to rely on Israel and mentioned their “glass palaces.”