A new Iranian drone base near the eastern Syrian town of Abu Kamal was flattened early Saturday, Dec. 21 in this month’s fourth unidentified attack in this part of Syria. DEBKAfile military sources report that the target was Hamadan airport, which stood derelict until recently. Iranian forces moved in, carried out repairs and lately installed drones with operational teams there for attacks on northern Israel. Early Saturday, that installation was razed before it became operational.
Our military sources report another significant event which has only just occurred. At week’s end, a Saudi military contingent landed for the first time at the Syrian oil fields in another part of eastern Syria, the Deir Ez-Zour region. The Saudi troops took up positions around the Omar oil field, the largest in the country. They provided security for engineers and technicians of the Saudi State Aramco company who arrived to repair the pumping equipment disabled during the war years. The Saudi oil operation and troops at Omar oil field are being secured in their turn by US military and air units and Syrian Democratic Forces.
Although the Saudi contingent is small, is arrival in Syria is a historic event of the highest order. The takeover of Syria’s largest oil field by a Saudi military force under an American umbrella is a regional game changer, which affords both them an advantage against Russia, Iran and Syria.
