The US is considering a possible retaliatory action against Iran following a Sunday attack on oil factories in Saudi Arabia, NBC news reported on Tuesday.
The Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibilty for the attack, but Saudi Arabia and the US claim that Iran carried out the attack from Iranian territory and that they have evidence to back their claim. Saudi Arabia has been taking an active role in the Yemeni Civil War since it broke out in 2015. Iran is widely seen as a backer of the Houthi.
US President Donald Trump was offered a range of actions that America might take, from a cyberattack on Iranian targets to a strike on Iranian oil factories, and requested to be presented with more options.
Another option might include a Saudi strike against Iran, backed and aided by the US – in intelligence for example – but not carried out by US forces.
Some of the US intelligence linking Iran to the strike was made available to senators in a classified reading room on Tuesday.