ALBAWABA - Last month, Houthis conducted a number of strikes on Saudi Arabia. What's interesting is that days before the strikes a constellation of Russian spy satellites converged over Saudi Arabia to gather intelligence.
The Houthi strikes hit pumping stations and the critical East-West pipeline, days later they struck a Saudi military air base, damaging an Italian fighter jet inside a hangar – Russian satellites were found above these targets days before the attacks.
The information comes from a private geospatial intelligence firm named AURORAH based in Geneva and founded by Nawaf Obaid, a Saudi political scientist specializing in intelligence studies.
The firm said it examined 40 missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia by Houthis and Iraqi militias between July 1 and Oct. 19, in every case, it said, the same pattern of Russian government and military satellites were found orbiting above the areas for days before and after.
“What we found is a 100% match” between the satellite activities and strikes, Nawaf Obaid said.
The data and findings help illustrate the type of support that Houthis and other Iranian-backed groups receive from countries aligned with Iran such as Russia and China.
🇷🇺🇮🇷🇸🇦AP: Russian satellites helped Iran-backed groups target Saudi Arabia
Russian satellites reportedly monitored targets in Saudi Arabia ahead of 40 missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthis and Iraqi armed groups, according to an analysis by Geneva-based AURORAH Geosignal Intelligence.
The company found a 100% correlation between satellite positioning and the targeted locations, including Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline and an airbase in Taif.
The findings suggest a possible link between Russian satellite activity and the strikes, although direct transfers of intelligence to the armed groups have not been independently confirmed.
Three officials have come forward and confirmed as much, including one official from Saudi Arabia and another in the top ranks of the Houthis, as well as a private intelligence analyst that Houthis and other Iranian allies have benefited from Russian intelligence, as well as Chinese capabilities.
AP reports have found that Iranian advisers in the field receive the intelligence and analyze and transfer it to their allies, Saudi Foreign Ministry deputy minister for public diplomacy Rayed Krimly said that Houthis receive intelligence from “elements in Russia and China, even commercial elements sometimes.”
“We do discuss these matters regularly with China and Russia, and we will continue to do so,” Krimly said.
Russian officials had no immediate comment when asked about the allegations, including AURORAH’s findings which go to explain how disparate militias in Iraq were able to effectively target the East-West pipeline and other targets within Saudi Arabia.
Pshemaf Choiaqo is a digital marketer with a passion for media, style, and presentation.
He enjoys researching unorthodox and nonconventional subjects almost as much as he enjoys writing about them.
Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content
