WASHINGTON, Sept 17, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel Tuesday to Saudi Arabia after its oil infrastructure was struck in an attack blamed on Iran, Vice President Mike Pence said.
“The secretary of state is traveling to Saudi Arabia today to discuss our response,” Pence said during a speech at the Heritage Foundation.
Reiterating the tone set by President Donald Trump, Pence said that “it’s certainly looking like Iran was behind these attacks.”
“As the president said, we don’t want war with anybody but the United States is prepared,” Pence said.
“We’re locked and loaded and we’re ready to defend our interests and allies in the region, make no mistake about it,” he said.
A US official earlier said on condition of anonymity that Washington was certain that missiles that hit the close US ally and major oil exporter came from Iranian soil.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the attack was carried out in self-defense by Yemen’s Huthi rebels, who enjoy backing from Tehran and have borne the brunt of a Saudi-led air campaign that has contributed to a humanitarian crisis.