In a change of the official U.S. assessment of the drone attack on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure, the American government now says the drone attacks originated in southern Iraq and not Yemen, as previously reported.  US officials added that the drones involved in this attack were more "sophisticated' that those used by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The 14 May drone attacks hit two pipeline segments along the major Saudi East-West oil pipeline.  The Saudis said supply was not disrupted and that no one was injured.

After further review, US officials familiar with the intelligence declared the attacks originated in southern Iraq, a charge which was promptly denied by Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi.  He said there was no evidence linking southern Iraq with such attacks.

The drone attack followed the sabotage of four tankers off of the UAE coast, including two from Saudi Arabia. Just weeks later, two more tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating tensions in the region.