According to Reuters on July 23, four people familiar with U.S. intelligence said that after Iran used drones to attack CIA facilities in the Gulf region, U.S. intelligence analysts are investigating whether Russia provided assistance by offering target location information or advanced drone technology.
These individuals requested anonymity due to their involvement in national security matters. They stated that U.S. intelligence officials have not yet reached a clear conclusion regarding whether Russia was involved in supporting the attack on CIA facilities. However, they pointed out that the efficiency and precision of the attack, along with Russia’s long-term provision of broader technical support to Iran, are signs that Russia may have been involved.
Reuters and other media have previously reported that U.S. officials have confirmed that Russia has been providing Iran with support, including targeting assistance, to help it carry out attacks against U.S. targets in the Gulf region. However, the U.S. intelligence community is investigating whether Russia is directly involved in supporting attacks on CIA facilities, which has not been publicly disclosed before.
According to Reuters and other media reports, at least two CIA facilities were attacked in March this year. One of these was a CIA station located within the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while the other was in eastern Iraq. Some sources said that more CIA facilities were attacked, but refused to disclose the details.
A regional official, who is able to review relevant files, stated that a memo from a Western intelligence agency believed that Russia likely participated in the targeting of CIA facilities in the Middle East. This official requested anonymity and refused to disclose the specific source of their memorandum.
Two officials in the Western Gulf region who were informed of relevant intelligence assessments stated that analysts believe the attack on CIA facilities inside Saudi Arabia was carried out using two Iranian "Witness" (Shahed) unmanned aircraft, which have undergone Russian technical upgrades.
They said that one of the drones first penetrated a position on the exterior wall of the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia where the protection was relatively weak. The second drone then flew through the broken hole into the building and detonated. The attack did not result in any casualties.
Two Western officials stationed in the Middle East said that Russia has helped Iran enhance the combat capabilities of its ‘Witness’ drones, enabling them to hit targets more accurately. Analysts suspect that the model used by Iran in the attack on Riyadh was precisely the one modified by Russia.
Another source said that Russia provided Tehran with the Kometa-M satellite navigation system, which helped improve the accuracy of hitting the Shahed-136 drone. Several experts said that compared to navigation systems independently produced by Iran, Kometa-M offers higher precision and is less susceptible to electronic interference.
The Wall Street Journal reported in March this year that Russia had provided Iran with the Kometa-M navigation system. The Kremlin subsequently denied this report, calling it “fake news”.
The CIA's overseas facilities include major agencies located in various countries, typically within U.S. embassies, known as CIA stations. In addition, the CIA also has offices, safe houses, logistics centers, and other facilities for surveillance and covert operations overseas.
These facilities’ exact locations have always been kept strictly confidential.
Sources refused to disclose the exact number and specific locations of CIA facilities that were attacked by Iranian drones. One source said that the number of facilities attacked was “more than one, but less than twelve”; another source indicated that several facilities were attacked.
According to sources, American intelligence analysts are currently investigating whether Russia provided target location data when Iran attacked the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia.
However, there are still doubts.
Some sources suggest that it is possible that Iran originally intended to attack the US embassy in Saudi Arabia, and the CIA site happened to be located within the embassy. Therefore, the hit might have been just an accident.
Sources said that some analysts believe that few other countries, besides Russia, have the capability to obtain information about such sensitive targets, and the willingness to weaponize them for attacks against the United States.
Daniel Hoffman, who once served as the head of CIA overseas stations and an officer in covert operations, said that given the close strategic partnership between Russia and Iran, he would not be surprised if Moscow helps Tehran in targeting CIA facilities.
