Has Russia helped Iran target CIA sites in the Gulf?

Key Points:

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov in Manila to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine, amid reports suggesting Russia may be aiding Iran in attacks on US military sites in the Middle East.
• US intelligence is investigating possible Russian involvement in Iranian drone attacks on CIA facilities, including the US embassy in Saudi Arabia, due to the attacks’ precision and effectiveness.
• Russia and Iran have deepened military cooperation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Tehran supplying Moscow drones and missiles, and Moscow allegedly improving Iranian drone technology.
• Experts view the Russia-Iran relationship as a strategic partnership facing common global threats, with Russian support potentially enhancing Iran’s military capabilities but not being the sole factor in Iran’s recent attacks.
• The US-Iran conflict has escalated with ongoing US strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Iran on Gulf countries and Jordan, while Iranian tactics and capabilities remain the primary drivers of the conflict’s dynamics.