Did Russia help Iran hit CIA sites in Gulf? US launches secret probe

The drone attacks on secretive CIA facilities in the Gulf have triggered a new battle behind closed doors. US intelligence agencies are examining whether Russia helped Iran carry out drone attacks on secretive CIA facilities in the Gulf, after strikes in March raised questions over the accuracy of the operation and the technology used. According to Reuters, investigators have not reached any firm conclusions, but four people familiar with the matter said Moscow has become a major focus of the inquiry because of its military partnership with Iran.

The investigation is looking at whether Russia may have supplied sensitive targeting information, technical support or upgraded drone systems to Iran. Reuters reported that US officials have previously acknowledged open Russian support for Iran in attacks on American targets across the Gulf, but the latest inquiry is focused specifically on possible Russian involvement in strikes on CIA facilities.

CIA FACILITIES AMONG TARGETS

At least two CIA facilities were struck by Iranian drones in March, the report said. One of the targets was the CIA station housed inside the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while another was a CIA-linked site in eastern Iraq. Sources told Reuters that more CIA facilities were also hit, but declined to identify their locations because of the sensitive nature of the operations.

One source estimated the number of affected facilities was "more than one and fewer than a dozen", while another said several sites had been targeted. The CIA's overseas stations, safe houses, surveillance centres and logistics hubs are among the agency's most closely guarded secrets.

Investigators are now examining whether Russia directly assisted Iran in planning the attacks. The sources said analysts are looking closely at Russia's technical support for Iran and the unusual accuracy seen in the strikes. An internal assessment prepared by a Western intelligence agency also pointed in that direction. A regional official familiar with the classified memo told Reuters it concluded that Russia had likely played a role in helping Iran target CIA sites, although the official did not identify the agency that produced the assessment.

RUSSIAN-ENHANCED DRONES IN WAR

Two Western officials in the Gulf told Reuters that intelligence analysts believe the attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh involved two Russian-enhanced versions of Iran's Shahed drones. According to the officials, one drone blasted a hole through a vulnerable section of the embassy building, and a second drone then flew through the opening before detonating inside. No casualties were reported.

Investigators are also examining whether Russia supplied technology that improved the drones' performance. One source told Reuters that Moscow helped Iran improve the accuracy of its Shahed-136 drones by providing the Kometa-M satellite navigation system.

Experts say the system is significantly more accurate and much harder to jam than Iran's own navigation equipment. The Wall Street Journal first reported in March that Russia had transferred the Kometa-M system to Iran. The Kremlin dismissed that report as "fake news".

TARGETING DATA OR COINCIDENCE?

Analysts are also trying to determine whether Iran relied on Russian intelligence or targeted data during the embassy strike. At the same time, investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Iran may have been targeting the US Embassy itself and struck the CIA station by coincidence. The report says several analysts believe very few countries have both the capability and the motivation to provide such sensitive targeting intelligence against US facilities.

Concerns in Washington over Russia's possible involvement intensified after Iranian missile strikes on a US air base in Jordan over the weekend killed two American soldiers. Neither Washington nor Moscow has commented on the allegations. As the investigation continues, US intelligence agencies are expected to gather more evidence before reaching any conclusions on Russia's role in the attacks on CIA facilities.

- Ends

With inputs from agencies