strikeJul 23, 2026

Has Russia helped Iran target CIA sites in the Gulf?

Summary

Has Russia helped Iran target CIA sites in the Gulf? Reports of Iran targeting sites belonging to the US's CIA first emerged in the early days of the US and Israel’s war with Iran. When US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov on Thursday in Manila, on the margins of a summit of Southeast Asian nations, Moscow’s war on Ukraine was officially the top agenda item. But the meeting between Rubio and Lavrov was held under the shadow of fresh reports suggesting that Russia might be playing a more active role than it has publicly acknowledged in Iran’s attacks on United States military sites in the Middle East. Recommended Storieslist of 3 items - list 1 of 3What are ‘civilian’ sites in international law and where have US, Iran hit? - list 2 of 3Can the Suez save Asian oil consumers after Houthis shut Bab al-Mandeb? - list 3 of 3Ukraine’s new military chief pledges to escalate retaliation against Russia Reports of Iran targeting sites belonging to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) first emerged in the early days of the US and Israel’s war on Iran. Three days into the war, on March 3, The Washington Post reported that a CIA station in the US embassy in Riyadh had been targeted, according to two people familiar with the matter. On March 6, CNN reported, citing US intelligence sources, that Moscow had been helping Tehran locate US personnel and aircraft in the Gulf. Now, more recently, the Reuters news agency on Wednesday reported that Iranian drone attacks on CIA facilities, specifically on the embassy in Saudi Arabia, had prompted US intelligence to investigate possible Russian involvement, suggesting that the strikes’ effectiveness and precision could suggest possible evidence of support. Nicole Grajewski, an assistant professor at the Centre of International Research at Sciences Po university in Paris, explained that Russian involvement in Iran’s targeting was a “realistic” theory. “This was kind of what was suspected because a lot of the attacks that Iran did were far more advanced than what they’ve done before,” Grajewski told Al Jazeera. “Iran doesn’t have great space-based capability, unlike Russia,” she said. “Compared to Russia, Iran doesn’t have enough military-grade satellites for basic stuff… it seems likely that they struck some of the deal with the Russians.” However, she explained that Iran has its own human intelligence-gathering networks that are “often overlooked” when it comes to the targets it selects in the region. Russian support for Iran Amid wars and sanctions, Moscow and Tehran have deepened their military relations. While many analysts have argued that relations between the two countries are less of an alliance and more of a marriage of convenience against the West, Grajewski disagrees. “They both have kind of viewed themselves as actors that are facing kind of similar threats on the global stage, and their cooperation has really intensified since the war in Ukraine, and even more so recently,” she said. “They’re much more dependent on each other.” The February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine drew the two sides closer militarily after Tehran provided Moscow with critical weapons, most notably the Shahed drone and the Fateh-110 ballistic missile, to aid in its war efforts. Last year, the two sides signed a 20-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, which had promised to increase defence cooperation. However, The Moscow Times reported Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko saying in an address to the State Duma at the time that the treaty did not mean the “establishment of a military alliance with Iran or mutual military assistance”. Russia has also allegedly helped Tehran improve the accuracy of its Shahed-136s by supplying the Kometa-M anti-jamming navigation system. According to reports in March, debris that was found after an attempted Iranian attack on a British Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Cyprus recovered the Russian system from the wreckage of a Shahed-136 drone. Russia rejected a report by The Wall Street Journal that reported on the Kometa-M system on Iranian drones, calling it “fake news”. Still, Grajewski explained that the US war with Iran serves to benefit Moscow to “some extent” as it diverts attention away from the Ukraine war and has the potential of weakening the US’s global power. “I think the Russians view this as kind of a broader battle for a global order, and they see this as kind of the real cascade that might lead to American decline,” she said. “Obviously, they don’t want to see Iran fall, and so that’s always been this kind of delicate balance between having Iran go at it alone against the United States, but also making sure that Iran has enough support to survive and withstand a very difficult moment in their history, too.” Recent attacks More recently, the US and Iran have intensified their exchange of attacks. US strikes on Iran have continued for the 12th consecutive night, killing at least two people in an attack on the Shalamcheh crossing on the border with Iraq on Thursday morning. Iran has struck back with attacks on multiple Gulf countries and Jordan in recent days. And ultimately, Grajewski said that Iran’s own tactics are proving to have more of an impact on the course of the war than any Russian intelligence help. “Russian involvement isn’t the fundamental tipping point for the Iranians. Iran already had these capabilities; they’ve already developed an extensive drone force, extensive missile force,” she said. “What it did do is give Iran a bit of an edge and improve it.”

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Edna MohamedBy Edna Mohamed
Has Russia helped Iran target CIA sites in the Gulf? Reports of Iran targeting sites belonging to the US's CIA first emerged in the early days of the US and Israel’s war with Iran. When US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov on Thursday in M…

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Jul 23, 2026strikeUnverifiedUSIranProxyRussia

Oil Prices Soar as US-Iran Conflict Expands to Red Sea

○ 1 source

September WTI crude oil (CLU26) on Wednesday closed up +2.49 (+2.95%), and September RBOB gasoline (RBU26) closed up +0.0186 (+0.58%). WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) are up more than +6% today after the Iran-backed Houthis launched a missile and drone attack on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, expanding the oil disruptions beyond the Strait of Hormuz and threatening oil shipments in the Red Sea.

Sep Brent crude oil prices (CBU26) are trading above $100 per barrel.Don’t Miss a Day: From crude oil to coffee, sign up free for Barchart’s best-in-class commodity analysis. The Houthis have vowed to blockade shipping linked to Saudi Arabia and warned shipowners against calling at the nation's ports.

The move threatens Saudi oil exports from Yanbu, a Red Sea hub that the Saudi's are using to ship crude since the war brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a near halt. President Trump said Tuesday that if there is a blockade in the Red Sea, the US “will take care of it.

” Meanwhile, the US and Iran exchanged attacks for the 12th straight day, and the US maintained its blockade of Iranian oil shipments in the Persian Gulf. Global crude oil supplies are tightening due to reduced flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The International Maritime Organization warned last Wednesday that it is too dangerous to cross the Strait of Hormuz at the moment, and visible transit through the strait has fallen sharply as Iran continues targeting tankers attempting to transit it.

Crude prices also have support as Ukraine intensifies drone attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Russian crude production fell to 8.928 million bpd in June, the lowest in 2.5 years, according to monthly OPEC data. According to EA Analytics, Russian crude-processing rates will average 3.

51 million bpd in July, the lowest in 24 years, amid damage to Russian energy infrastructure caused by drone and missile attacks from Ukraine. According to Bloomberg, Ukrainian forces have attacked Russian fuel-producing facilities more than 50 times this year, hitting at least 24 of Russia’s 34 largest refineries.

As of the end of June, around 90% of Russian regions have imposed some form of fuel rationing or reported supply issues, as refining capacity has plunged following damage to facilities. The strikes have deepened a nationwide gasoline shortage, with several major refineries shut down and the government banning almost all gasoline, jet fuel and diesel exports.

Russia is the world’s number two diesel exporter, after the US, according to Vortexa. Stronger Russian crude exports are also adding to global oil supplies, which is bearish for prices. Data compiled by Bloomberg show the four-week average of Russian crude exports rose to 4.

13 million bpd through June 28, the highest since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Russia may be boosting its crude exports as the country’s refining capacity has plunged due to damage at its refining facilities from Ukraine drone and missile attacks.

The outlook for higher US crude output is negative for oil prices. The Department of Energy (DOE) on July 7 raised its US 2026 crude production estimate to 13.78 million bpd from a June estimate of 13.72 million bpd. As a bearish factor for crude, OPEC delegates said on May 14 that the cartel aims to continue a series of oil quota increases over the next few months, completing the return of halted oil production by the end of September.

The group already formally agreed to restore about two-thirds of the 1.65 million bpd supply cutback it made back in 2023 and said it plans to raise output targets further and to revive the final portion in three more monthly stages. On July 5, OPEC+ said it will boost its crude output by 188,000 bpd in August, though that increase might prove difficult due to revived US-Iran military attacks in the region.

OPEC’s June crude production rose by +2.34 million bpd to 18.75 million bpd. Vortexa reported on Monday that crude oil stored on tankers that have been stationary for at least 7 days rose +31% w/w to 90.03 million bbl in the week ended July 17. Wednesday’s weekly EIA report was mostly negative for crude oil and products.

EIA crude inventories unexpectedly rose +2.01 million bbl versus expectations of a -1.95 million bbl decline. Also, EIA gasoline supplies rose by +765,000 bbl versus expectations of a -1.9 million bbl decline. In addition, EIA distillate stockpiles rose by +1.

4 million bbl, a larger build than expectations of +825,000 bbl. On the positive side, crude supplies at Cushing, the delivery point for WTI futures, fell -624,000 bbl. Wednesday’s EIA report showed that (1) US crude oil inventories as of July 17 were -5.

3% below the seasonal 5-year average, (2) gasoline inventories were -7.1% below the seasonal 5-year average, and (3) distillate inventories were -9.6% below the 5-year seasonal average. US crude oil production in the week ending July 17 fell -0.5% w/w to 13.

798 million bpd, just below the record high of 13.862 million bpd posted in the week of November 7. Baker Hughes reported last Friday that the number of active US oil rigs in the week ended July 17 rose by +7 to a 13-month high of 452 rigs, up from the 4.

25-year low of 406 rigs posted in December 2025. However, the number of US oil rigs remains sharply below the 5.5-year high of 627 reported in December 2022. On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article.

All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Jul 23, 2026strikeUnverifiedUSIsraelIran

Trump says considers massive attack on Iran — Axios

○ 1 source

According to Axios, US President Donald Trump stated he is considering a large-scale military operation against Iran and indicated that Israel could participate if requested, though US forces would not require assistance. The report references prior US-Israel actions against Iran beginning February 28, a June memorandum on halting hostilities, and renewed US strikes on July 8, without specifying any decision deadline.

These details remain attributed to the cited sources and have not been independently confirmed.

Location: Iran

CurrentsAPI

Jul 23, 2026strikeUnverifiedUSIranProxyChina

Dollar Rises on Houthi Tanker Attack and Higher Oil Prices

○ 1 source

The U.S. dollar index rose 0.37%, supported by a 5 basis point increase in the 10-year Treasury yield to a 1.5-year high and oil prices surging more than 5%. Additional factors cited include U.S. unemployment claims data that came in slightly stronger than expected and reported safe-haven demand linked to Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, along with related shipping threats.

The euro declined 0.39% against the dollar, while markets priced in a 36% probability of a 25 basis point rate hike at the next FOMC meeting.

Location: Strait of Hormuz

Barchart

Jul 23, 2026strikeUnverifiedUSIranProxy

Brent Crude Tops US$100 After Red Sea Attacks

○ 1 source

Brent Crude Tops US$100 After Red Sea Attacks Markets Key Facts —The level. Brent crude rose above US$100 a barrel, its first time since May, up about 40% this month. —The trigger. Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, enforcing a declared blockade of Saudi ports.

—The wider risk. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed sharply, deepening supply fears. —The politics. The US said it would hold Iran responsible for further attacks; Iran warned it would retaliate. —The forecast. Analysts see room for more gains; Goldman Sachs projects Brent above US$120 by the fourth quarter if disruptions persist.

Oil is back in triple digits. Brent crude topped US$100 a barrel for the first time since May after attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a jump with real consequences for Latin America’s oil exporters and importers alike. After months in the doldrums, oil prices have surged.

Brent crude climbed past US$100 a barrel, a level not seen since May, capping a rally of roughly 40% in July. The spark was violence at sea. What Happened Yemen’s Houthis fired missiles and drones at Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea to enforce a blockade of Saudi ports, with at least one tanker attacked and several diverting course.

The trouble compounded a near-halt in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint for a large share of the world’s oil, sending traders scrambling to price in the risk. The Escalation Risk President Donald Trump said the United States would hold Iran responsible for further Houthi attacks and warned of strikes on Iranian infrastructure; Iran said it would retaliate against US-linked assets in the region.

Analysts warn prices could rise further if the conflict widens, with Goldman Sachs projecting Brent above US$120 a barrel by the fourth quarter should supply disruptions continue. Live Market IntelligenceCommodities — Live Market Board Rio Times · Live Market Intelligence Commodities — Live Market Board +7.

05% |Instrument||Last||Change||YoY||Prev.||High||Low||Volume| |GOLD||4,054||-2.25%||+19.43%||4,147||4,144||4,043||130,481| |SILVER||58.02||-3.34%||+47.70%||60.02||60.36||57.32||29,261| |BRENT||100.70||+7.05%||+46.99%||94.07||87.22||85.01||38,512| |WTI||92.

46||+6.48%||+41.70%||86.83||92.82||87.32||287,920| |COPPER||6.34||-1.71%||+9.42%||6.45||6.54||6.33||31,416| |LITHIUM||69.28||+0.41%||+59.37%||69.00||69.68||68.65||90,092| |IRON ORE||161.91||—||+64.76%||161.91||161.91||1| |SOY||1,244||+0.91%||+23.71%||1,233||1,249||1,236||105,716| |CORN||487.

25||+5.47%||+22.27%||462.00||489.50||483.00||155,223| |WHEAT||700.00||-0.81%||+29.51%||705.75||710.25||693.00||58,614| |COFFEE||308.90||-2.45%||+2.51%||316.65||321.30||308.25||11,172| |SUGAR||14.67||-0.47%||-9.67%||14.74||14.90||14.66||36,829| |COCOA||5,308||-0.

38%||-37.11%||5,328||5,411||5,165||12,463| |ORANGE JUICE||145.05||-3.49%||-56.90%||150.30||148.80||144.10||241| |COTTON||81.53||+2.08%||+22.38%||79.87||81.75||79.75||15,710| |BEEF||220.70||-1.12%||-2.79%||223.20||221.90||217.38||14,536| |CATTLE||339.

48||-0.50%||+2.40%||341.17||340.50||333.00||7,417| |USD/BRL||5.08||+0.56%||-8.65%||5.05||5.09||5.04||—| 100.70 +7.05% 92.46 +6.48% 487.25 +5.47% 145.05 -3.49% 58.02 -3.34% 308.90 -2.45% 4,054 -2.25% 81.53 +2.08% What It Means for Latin America For the region’s oil exporters, higher prices are a windfall.

Brazil, Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela all earn more for every barrel they sell abroad. For importers, the math runs the other way: pricier crude feeds into fuel and freight costs across Central America, the Caribbean and beyond, adding to inflation pressures.

Why It Matters Oil at US$100 reshapes trade balances and budgets across Latin America in opposite directions, rewarding producers and squeezing consumers. How long the spike lasts will depend less on the region than on what happens next in the Red Sea and the Gulf.

Frequently Asked Questions Why did Brent crude rise above US$100? Prices jumped after Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, compounded by a sharp slowdown in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears over global oil supply.

How high could oil go? Analysts say prices could climb further if the conflict continues. Goldman Sachs projects Brent above US$120 a barrel by the fourth quarter if supply disruptions persist. How does US$100 oil affect Latin America? It benefits exporters like Brazil, Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, which earn more per barrel, while raising fuel and freight costs for importers across Central America and the Caribbean.

Sources - The National – Oil hits $100 for the first time since May after Houthi attacks on Saudi ships - OilPrice – Brent Tops $100 as Houthi Attacks Push Oil Rally Into Triple Digits Connected Coverage - Spain’s Repsol Bets on Venezuela Oil, Parks $5.

4Bn Debt - Batista Brothers Expand Venezuela Oil Bet With PDVSA Stake - Brent Punches $111 After Trump Aims Arrows at Tehran on Truth Social Sources: Goldman Sachs.

Matias Sebastian Lopez