In Saudi Arabia and Israel, Signals That Iran Has Retaliation in Works

Iran, which has already been the victim of cyberattacks, is preparing for an armed attack from the US or Israel on its nuclear facilities. It is sending out signals that, if attacked again, the nation will lash out at US allies in the region. In October, Hezbollah tried and failed with a drone attack, possibly on Israeli nuclear facilities. In August, a cyberattack on a Saudi oil firm and a Qatar gas firm destroyed more than 30,000 computers. At least one of the attacks was described as an inside job, explains Bruce Riedel, senior fellow with the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution. Shias are a sizeable and disgruntled minority in north Saudi Arabia, the oil region. Many could side with Iran. The attacks arrive on symbolic anniversaries. “Iran’s capabilities to inflict substantial damage on the Saudi and other gulf-state oil industries by cyberwarfare are difficult for outsiders to assess,” Riedel writes. He cautions that no nation should underestimate the economic consequences of a cyberattack. – YaleGlobal