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Saudi King Calls for International Response to Oil Facility Attacks

Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON - Saudi King Salman said Tuesday his country is capable of
   defending itself against the "cowardly attacks" that knocked out half
   of its oil production, but called on the international community to
   "clearly confront" the perpetrators.

   The Saudi government reiterated its accusation that Iranian weapons
   were used in the attack, but offered no evidence of its claim.

   The statement was in line with remarks Monday from U.S. President
   Donald Trump signaling that Washington believes Tehran was responsible
   for the drone attacks, but was holding off on a definitive conclusion
   pending more investigation.

   The Saudi Cabinet said the middle-of-the-night attacks early Saturday,
   cutting Riyadh's oil production by 5.7 million barrels a day,
   threatened international security and global energy supplies.

   Trump offered mixed signals about a possible U.S. response to the
   attack on its ally, Saudi Arabia.

   "I'm not looking to get into new conflict, but sometimes you have to,"
   he said. "That was a very large attack, and it could be met by an
   attack many, many times larger."

   "Certainly, it would look to most like it was Iran," he concluded.

   The president added that it would be known who is responsible "for
   certain over the next pretty short period."

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