U.S. Investigates Russian Aid in Iranian Drone Strikes on CIA

U.S. intelligence agencies are investigating whether the Federal Government of Russia provided advanced technology and targeting data to Iran to facilitate drone strikes against Central Intelligence Agency facilities in the Gulf region. The attacks occurred in March during the opening weeks of the Iran war, targeting at least two sites: a CIA station within the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a facility in eastern Iraq. No casualties were reported in these specific strikes, though some sources suggest additional sites were hit.

Analysts are specifically examining if Russia supplied the Kometa-M satellite navigation system to enhance the precision of Shahed-136 drones and make them resistant to jamming. One Western intelligence memo concluded that Russia likely played a role in identifying the targets, although U.S. officials stated that no firm conclusion has been reached and Russian involvement remains unproven.

The investigation follows separate Iranian aggression, including a ballistic missile strike on a U.S. air base in Jordan that killed two soldiers. The Kremlin has denied reports of providing the Kometa-M system to Tehran, characterizing such claims as "fake news," while the Russian Defence Ministry declined to comment on the allegations of assisting the strikes.