A private geospatial intelligence firm says it examined 40 missile and drone attacks launched against Saudi Arabia by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and militias in Iraq between July 1 and October 19. In every single case, the firm found the same pattern: Russian government and military satellites orbiting above the target areas for days before and after each strike.
The findings show how Russia is believed to be helping Iran and its regional allies target Saudi Arabia’s oil and military infrastructure, in attacks that have helped push up global energy prices. For Moscow, whose war economy runs on oil revenue, every strike on Saudi energy facilities is a windfall.
Three officials, including one from Saudi Arabia and another from the top ranks of the Houthis, along with a private intelligence analyst, told The Associated Press that the Houthis and other Iranian allies have benefited from Russian intelligence as well as Chinese capabilities. According to AP’s reporting, Iranian advisers in the field analysed this intelligence and passed it on to their allies.
The pattern is not new. Earlier this year, a CNN investigation found that 14 Russian reconnaissance satellites passed over Prince Sultan Air Base two days before Iran struck it, and a Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters said Russian satellites carried out dozens of imagery surveys of Middle Eastern military sites, including King Khalid Military City in Saudi Arabia.
For Pakistan, this is not a distant conflict. Under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in September 2025, an attack on the Kingdom is an attack on both nations. Islamabad stands firmly with Riyadh in defending the Two Holy Mosques and the security of the Gulf. At the same time, Pakistan, an energy-importing economy, pays directly at the pump for every barrel Moscow’s proxy game pushes up. Those who lecture Pakistan on regional stability while staying silent on foreign powers fuelling attacks on Saudi soil should explain their double standards.
The world cannot let oil-driven opportunism dictate the security of the Muslim world’s heartland.
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
A private geospatial intelligence firm says it examined 40 missile and drone attacks launched against Saudi Arabia by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and militias
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Moscow’s Eyes in Orbit: How Russia Profits From Attacks on Saudi Oil
A private geospatial intelligence firm says it examined 40 missile and drone attacks launched against Saudi Arabia by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and militias in Iraq between July 1 and October 19. In every single case, the firm found the same pattern: Russian government and military satellites orbiting above the target areas for days before and after each strike.
The findings show how Russia is believed to be helping Iran and its regional allies target Saudi Arabia’s oil and military infrastructure, in attacks that have helped push up global energy prices. For Moscow, whose war economy runs on oil revenue, every strike on Saudi energy facilities is a windfall.
Three officials, including one from Saudi Arabia and another from the top ranks of the Houthis, along with a private intelligence analyst, told The Associated Press that the Houthis and other Iranian allies have benefited from Russian intelligence as well as Chinese capabilities. According to AP’s reporting, Iranian advisers in the field analysed this intelligence and passed it on to their allies.
The pattern is not new. Earlier this year, a CNN investigation found that 14 Russian reconnaissance satellites passed over Prince Sultan Air Base two days before Iran struck it, and a Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters said Russian satellites carried out dozens of imagery surveys of Middle Eastern military sites, including King Khalid Military City in Saudi Arabia.
For Pakistan, this is not a distant conflict. Under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in September 2025, an attack on the Kingdom is an attack on both nations. Islamabad stands firmly with Riyadh in defending the Two Holy Mosques and the security of the Gulf. At the same time, Pakistan, an energy-importing economy, pays directly at the pump for every barrel Moscow’s proxy game pushes up. Those who lecture Pakistan on regional stability while staying silent on foreign powers fuelling attacks on Saudi soil should explain their double standards.
The world cannot let oil-driven opportunism dictate the security of the Muslim world’s heartland.
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
SAT Commentary
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