Marc Abear: Is oil production important to your way of life?

To The Daily Sun,

A British Navy frigate intercepted speedboats carrying missiles and parts off the coast of Iran. This has happened on two separate occasions in 2022. Did you know that? These were the first times the British have stopped such sophisticated weapons from Iran.

The missiles and components are being smuggled by the Iranians to the Houthi rebels. The Houthis are fighting the Saudi-supported government in Yemen. This has happened several times by the U.S. Navy over the last few years.

The American destroyer Gridley supported the British effort. It deployed a Sikorsky Seahawk helicopter to provide overwatch during the operation. The weapons seized include Iranian surface-to-air missiles and engines for land attack cruise missiles.

The missiles were carried on speedboats in international waters south of Iran. A Leonardo Wildcat helicopter from the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose spotted the vessels departing the Iranian coast. The warship was conducting routine operations when the weapons were intercepted.

Analysis of the weapons by a team in the U.K. shows the shipment was made up of rocket engines for the Iranian produced 351 land attack cruise missile and a batch of Iranian 358 anti-air missiles. The engines for the cruise missile is an unlicensed, pirated version of a Czech-designed power unit.

The 351 is known as the Quds. It is an Iranian cruise missile. The British say it has a range of about 1,000 kilometers, or 621 miles. This type of weapon is regularly used by the Houthis to strike oil refineries and other infrastructure targets in Saudi Arabia. It was also the type of weapon used to attack Abu Dhabi.

Here’s the question: Is Saudi Arabia a friend and ally? Is Iran a friend and ally? Is oil production important to your way of life?

Marc Abear

Meredith