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One of the sources stated that officials have not yet reached firm conclusions about Moscow’s possible involvement. But the analysts pointed out the strikes' effectiveness and apparent precision, as well as the broader technical and military cooperation between Russia and Iran.
Reuters reported that at least two CIA sites were struck in March, including a CIA station in Saudi Arabia, which is located in the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, and a separate site located in eastern Iraq. Some of the sources said additional CIA sites had been hit, but they did not disclose details.
One internal memo from a Western intelligence agency, described by an official in the region with access to the document, concluded Russia has likely played a role in targeting regional CIA facilities. Two Western officials in the Gulf who were briefed on intelligence reports said analysts thought the Saudi attack involved a pair of Russian-enhanced versions of Iran's Shahed drones, adding that one drone blew a hole through a vulnerable part of the embassy's exterior and the second flew through the opening and detonated.
Read also: Russia feeds Iran U.S. military target data as Middle East war widens
Reuters’ sources reported that Russia may have helped Iran improve the precision of its Shahed-136 drones by supplying Kometa-M satellite navigation systems. Experts argue that it is far more accurate and harder to jam than the one produced by Iran.
U.S. intelligence officials have also been looking into whether Iran relied on Russian targeting data for the Riyadh embassy attack. Some analysts warned that Iran could have been aiming for the U.S. embassy generally and by chance struck the CIA station
Read also: Russia prepares to supply Iran with combat drones amid Middle East escalation
Former CIA station chief Daniel Hoffman told Reuters that it would not be surprising for Moscow to help Tehran target CIA facilities. He added that Russia and Iran share an interest in trying to reduce or eliminate U.S. influence altogether in their self-designated spheres of influence.
U.S. strikes against Iran
The U.S. military launched a large-scale strike on military targets in Iran on July 5, hitting more than 140 sites in retaliation to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attack on a Cyprus-flagged commercial container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out a second wave of airstrikes targeting southern Iran, including the port cities of Chabahar and Bushehr on July 8 in response to Iranian drone attacks on three commercial oil tankers.
Iran launched missile and drone strikes against Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan on July 14. Tehran said the attacks were retaliation for the U.S. strikes.
CENTCOM announced that the United States had reinstated its naval blockade of Iran on July 15.
Iran struck Syrian territory for the first time since war erupted in the Middle East in February 2026. The IRGC attacked the U.S. Special Operations command center at Al-Tanf in eastern Syria. A Syrian source said the attack caused neither casualties nor material damage.
Read also: Russia feeds Iran drone tactics, U.S. intel, expanding war coordination
American forces destroyed several key bridges in Iran during a series of strikes on July 17, primarily targeting the city of Bandar Abbas, which houses the Iranian Navy's main base and headquarters.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Section: Nation
Author: Midian Al-Rifai
