Iran accuses Israel of drone strikes on Gulf energy sites to widen war

Iranian officials have reportedly accused Israel of carrying out several drones strikes on energy and civilian sites in the Gulf, calling the attacks a calculated bid to spark regional fury and pull Arab states into the US-Israeli war on Tehran.

A Foreign Ministry official told Middle East Eye that Israel was behind strikes against Saudi Arabia and at least one attack on Oman, asserting: "I can categorically say that some of the attacks were not carried out by us [Iran]."

The claims follow at least five drone and missile strikes on Saudi facilities, including the Ras Tanura oil refinery and the US embassy in Riyadh, alongside two targets at Oman's Duqm Port.

The official declined to specify which attacks Israel was allegedly responsible for.

Saudi Arabia has reported multiple strikes involving drones and missiles, including incidents targeting Prince Sultan Air Base, the Ras Tanura oil refinery and sites in Riyadh.

Oman's Duqm Port, a major logistics hub that has hosted US naval access since 2019, has also been targeted twice.

Iran has acknowledged launching attacks on US military assets across the Middle East since Saturday in retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior military officials.

Mossad Operating on Iranian Soil

Two Iranian sources told MEE that Israel's foreign intelligence agency, the Mossad, carried out the attacks using a deep network of agents and logistics already established inside Iran.

They claimed authorities are currently locating warehouses used by Mossad to store drones, with one source stating: "We would not be surprised if there are such warehouses and operational rooms in other countries in the region."

Mossad is widely believed to maintain an extensive network of agents and informants inside Iran and has previously been linked to several covert operations against Iranian targets.

Past operations attributed to Israel include the assassination of a senior Iranian nuclear scientist using a remote-controlled weapon, cyberattacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and the seizure of a large archive of nuclear documents.

Another Iranian source said Tehran had privately informed Saudi Arabia that it was not responsible for the strike on Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura facility, which houses the kingdom's largest domestic refinery and is a key oil export terminal.

"This is an Israeli effort to sabotage regional peace and alliances between neighbours," the source said.

The accusations come as Gulf states face growing pressure from Washington to support the campaign against Iran.

Fears of Escalation

During a recent video meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers, officials said the option to respond to Iranian attacks remained under consideration to protect regional security.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has attempted to reassure neighbouring states, saying Tehran respects their sovereignty and is acting only in self-defence.

"Your Majesties, heads of friendly and neighbouring states, we have strived alongside you and through diplomacy to avoid war, but the American-Zionist military aggression has left us no choice but to defend ourselves," Pezeshkian said.

He added that Iran believes regional stability should be achieved through cooperation among neighbouring countries.

Former Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has similarly urged Gulf states to avoid becoming directly involved in the conflict, warning that such a confrontation could destabilise the region and drain resources on all sides.