The Houthi attack on sensitive Aramco production facilities might be characterized as a mortal wound on Saudi Arabia’s oil capacity, taking out approximately 50% of the kingdom’s production capacity.
Most troublesome about this attack is that the Saudi government was totally incapable of defending against it — with the third-largest defense budget in the world. The once-powerful kingdom has been brought to its knees by drones from a rebel militia in Yemen.
No doubt Iran, who sponsors the Houthis, played a key part in the planning and execution of the attack. Also alarming is the role that drone technology played in this attack and the resulting devastation. This is a key U.S. technology, which has now been turned against its allies and can be used against the U.S. just as well in bringing about devastating results in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Additionally alarming is that U.S. surface-to-air defense technology failed to protect Saudi oil fields against this attack.