THE SERIES OF attacks on large oil processing plants and facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais, Saudi Arabia on September 14 are being used by US imperialism as a pretext to intensifying its suppression of Iran.

The Houthi militia, an anti-imperialist movement of workers in Yemen, immediately claimed responsibility for the missile attacks on the oil plants. Despite this, however, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo is desperately making it appear that Iran was behind the attack which it called an “act of war.” The Houthis said that the sabotage operation was a response to the continuing agression and intervention of Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

In retaliation, US President Donald Trump threatened to deploy additional military troops and impose new and heavier sanctions against Iran to paralyze its economy, especially its oil industry. Iran strongly denied the accusations and criticized the threats which Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called “illegal and inhumane” as these are directed at ordinary civilians.

Saudi Arabia, which has the world’s largest oil reserves, is one of the closest ally of the US in the Middle East and its source of around 10 million barrels of oil per day. Damaged oil plants produce up to 5.7 million barrels per day or equivalent to 5% of the global supply. Due to the attacks, the price of oil in global market increased by 14% to an average of $62.90 per barrel, which is the highest since 1988.