Saudi Arabia joined the US war with Iran. What the media is writing
Saudi Arabia has launched several covert strikes against Iran as part of the Middle East conflict, for which the United States has already spent $29 billion. American intelligence has shown that Washington's military efforts did not lead to the destruction of Tehran's missile infrastructure, while oil supplies from Iran began to decline. How the media reacts to the development of the conflict is in the Izvestia digest.
Reuters: Saudi Arabia carried out covert attacks on Iran
Saudi Arabia has launched numerous unannounced strikes against Iran in response to attacks carried out in the kingdom during the war in the Middle East, two Western officials with knowledge of the matter and two Iranian officials said. No previous reports have been made about Saudi Arabia's attacks, which for the first time are known to have led to direct military action by the kingdom on Iranian territory and indicate that it is becoming much bolder in defending itself against its main regional rival.
The author of the quote
According to two Western officials, the attacks carried out by the Saudi Air Force were carried out in late March. One of them only stated that these were "retaliatory strikes in retaliation for the attack on Saudi Arabia." <...> In response to a request for comment, a senior official at the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not directly respond to a question about whether strikes had been carried out.
Saudi Arabia, which has close military ties with the United States, has traditionally relied on the American army for protection, but the ten-week war has left the kingdom vulnerable to attacks that have penetrated American military defenses. The Riyadh strikes highlight the widening conflict and the extent to which the war, which began after the US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, has drawn the wider Middle East into it in a way that has not yet been publicly acknowledged.
The New York Times: US spending on war rose to $29 billion
Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst said that the cost of the US war with Iran has approached $29 billion dollars since Defense Secretary Hegseth testified to Congress two weeks ago and estimated it at $25 billion. At the same time, at two consecutive hearings in the Capitol, Hegseth dodged questions about how much money above the regular Pentagon budget would eventually be needed to finance the war and when he would request these funds.
The author of the quote
"First of all, the issue of ammunition was stupidly and uselessly exaggerated,— Hegseth replied. — We know exactly what we have. We have enough of what we need." "We will provide everything that we think we need," he added.
In early May, the White House told Congress that the fighting with Iran had stopped as a result of the truce. However, Republicans and Democrats have raised questions about the cost of the ongoing military operation in the region and the strength of the truce that the administration relied on to justify this claim. Hegseth was at the Capitol to testify to the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees reviewing the Pentagon's nearly $1.45 trillion budget request for the coming year.
CNN: Israel fears a failed US deal with Iran
Israel is concerned that US President Donald Trump may conclude an agreement with Iran without resolving some of the key issues that initially led to the outbreak of war between the two countries. The sources said the agreement, which would partially preserve Tehran's nuclear program while bypassing issues such as ballistic missiles and support for regional allies, would lead Israel to view the war as unfinished.
CNN
The main problem is that Trump will get tired of negotiations and make a deal — any deal — with last—minute concessions," one Israeli source said. Although American officials assured Israel that the issue of Iran's highly enriched uranium reserves would be resolved, the source noted that the apparent exclusion of ballistic missiles and Tehran's puppet network from the negotiations "is a serious matter."
According to the officials, a partial agreement that does not address some of Iran's key capabilities and at the same time reduces economic pressure on the country could also stabilize the regime and provide it with an influx of funds. These concerns highlight the gap between Trump, who seems unwilling to resume the war, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who fears that it will end without achieving all of its original goals.
Bloomberg: Iranian oil supplies from Kharg island stopped
According to satellite images, oil shipments from Iran's main export terminal on Kharg Island have stopped for several days, the first sign of a prolonged shutdown since the start of the war. On May 8, 9, and 11, no ocean-going oil tankers were seen in the port. Although there have been some days since the beginning of the conflict when the berths were empty, this is the longest period when tankers were not in sight.
Bloomberg
If Kharg Island remains inactive, it will increase pressure on the country's remaining storage facilities, which satellite images show are filling up. Estimates of Iran's remaining space vary, but if all the tanks are filled to capacity, it may be forced to further reduce production. The country has already reduced some of its production.
The terminal has not been empty for more than one day since the beginning of the war. Satellite images of the Kharg Island berths are available for 33 of the 73 days since the beginning of the attacks by the United States and Israel on February 28. Only two earlier images do not show moored tankers: one in mid-April and the other in early March. There are gaps in the data because the trajectory of the satellites does not allow them to cover all areas of the planet's surface on a daily basis.
The New York Times: US intelligence shows that Iran has retained significant missile capabilities
The Trump administration's public portrayal of the defeated Iranian army is in stark contrast to what American intelligence agencies are telling politicians behind closed doors. According to secret estimates, Iran has restored access to most of its missile sites, launchers and underground facilities. Officials are most concerned about evidence that Iran has restored operational access to 30 of the 33 missile sites it maintains along the Strait of Hormuz, which could threaten American warships and oil tankers passing through this narrow waterway.
The New York Times
People familiar with the estimates say they show — to varying degrees, depending on the level of damage inflicted on various sites — that the Iranians can use mobile launchers located inside the facilities to move missiles to other locations. In some cases, they can launch rockets directly from launch pads that are part of these facilities. According to estimates, only three missile systems along the strait remain completely inaccessible.
It is estimated that Iran still has approximately 70% of its mobile launchers throughout the country and has retained about 70% of its pre-war missile arsenal. This arsenal includes both ballistic missiles capable of hitting targets in other countries in the region, as well as a smaller stockpile of cruise missiles that can be used against shorter-range targets on land or at sea. These findings undermine Trump and Hegset's public assurances that the Iranian army has been defeated and no longer poses a threat.
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