Pentagon chief: ‘Iran is responsible for extraordinary attack on Saudi Arabia’
September 25, 2019, 8:00 am

Pentagon chief: ‘Iran is responsible for extraordinary attack on Saudi Arabia’

Esper said that he expected others to call Iran out and support US partners in the region. (File photo US Department of Defense)

On Tuesday the US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, took to Twitter to state that having met with some of the US’s key allies, “The consensus is clear – Iran is responsible for the extraordinary attack on Saudi Arabia.”

https://twitter.com/EsperDoD/status/1176551004369817601

Esper added that the expectation among the allies he met was that “others will step up and call Iran out.”

Esper’s comments follow widespread condemnation of Iran from regional and international governments.

https://twitter.com/EsperDoD/status/1176551005200277504

The attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities on September 14 briefly interrupted the supply of an estimated 5.7 million barrels of crude oil per day - around five percent of global supply - and two billion cubic feet of gas.

Following the attacks, President Trump told Saudi Arabia that Washington stood ready to cooperate with the Kingdom to support security and stability.

The strikes had initially been claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. Recent reports and statements from top officials in Saudi Arabia have said that investigations suggest that the attack likely came from Iran, while the weapons have been confirmed Iranian-made.

By September 17 Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman confirmed that the Kingdom had returned oil supply levels to pre-attack levels.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”