PNS TABUK, deployed on RMSP & supporting Saudi-led CTF-150... under CMF, intercepted a stateless dhow in the Arabian Sea and seized over 2000 Kg of Methamphetamine worth 130 million USD. This marks PN’s third major narcotics interdiction in two months. 1/2show more

PNS YARMOOK, operating under the Saudi-led Combined Task Force... 150, executed a successful counter-narcotics operation in the North Arabian Sea, seizing narcotics worth USD 972 million, reflecting Pakistan Navy’s enduring resolve against illicit trafficking at sea.show more

COUNTERFEIT GOODS WORTH MORE THAN R160 MILLION SEIZED, MANUFACTURING... PLANT SHUT DOWN DURING RECENT NATIONWIDE OPERATIONS The South African Police Service (SAPS), in collaboration with its crime-fighting partners, continues to record commendable progress in dismantling criminal networks involved in the illegal trade in counterfeit and illicit goods. This week, police collectively seized counterfeit goods worth more than R160 million during multiple takedown operations in different parts of the country. The National Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Unit led a joint takedown operation in Bellville on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, which resulted in the seizure of counterfeit goods worth more than R117 million. The multidisciplinary team also comprised members from the Western Cape Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Unit, Crime Intelligence, the National Intervention Unit (NIU), Public Order Policing (POP), officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs Division, and brand protectors. The team seized over 130 000 counterfeit items, including branded clothing, sports apparel, sneakers, caps, sunglasses, and watches. In Gauteng, police executed several takedown operations in Johannesburg, Tshwane, Meyerton, Vanderbijlpark, and Vereeniging throughout the week. In one operation, the Gauteng Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Unit, with support from various role players, shut down a counterfeit manufacturing plant operating in a medical building in the Johannesburg CBD. Counterfeit goods and label-printing machines worth over R28 million were seized. Additionally, a takedown operation in KwaZulu-Natal resulted in the seizure of a large consignment of counterfeit cigarettes worth over R15 million in Sydenham. These operations form part of ongoing national efforts to address the illegal trade in counterfeit and illicit goods in the country. The illegal trade in counterfeit goods not only undermines the economy of South Africa, but also threatens consumer health and safety, infringes on intellectual property rights, and erodes legitimate businesses.show more

Cthulhu is NOT an aquatic entity. August Derleth infamously... tried to categorize Cthulhu this way. And of course, Cthulhu does have feelers on his head. But he is not from the sea. He is imprisoned under the sea, and it's a prison partly because of the sea. In his million-year war against the Elder Things, both sides were amphibious. Cthulhu seized the land, and forced the Elder Things to retreat to the water against their will. The land was clearly the more desirable possession. (video by AI Playground) 1/2show more

🚨 INVASION UPDATE 🚨 244 migrants in 4 dinghies... ILLEGALLY crossed the channel yesterday 1 migrant and a dog were also picked up in the sea off Brighton yesterday after crossing the channel 17,278 migrants and 2 dogs have now crossed the channel this year The highest numbers on record for the first 6 months of the year up over 50% on this time last year 📷 Of today's crossings were over 100 migrants have crossed in 2 dinghies so far, courtesy of Chris Johnson on Facebook 🛑 STOP THE BOATS 🛑show more

"The Russian army has destroyed more than 150 gas... stations in Ukraine over the past two months," - former Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Andrey Pivovarsky... Before the war, there were about 1,200 significant "chain" gas stations in Ukraine (not counting rural ones, which no one is interested in). Some of them came under our control in 2022, but they had at least 1,000. In 2 months, 150 were knocked out. Not bad, in principle. But it's not enough. We need to reduce it to zero. And don't forget about railway locomotives. By the way, 130 units of them were knocked out during the same period. Out of about 1,000 available. In principle, the elimination of the railway locomotive fleet and gas stations will largely disrupt the enemy's logistics. And if we do this systematically, the enemy could face a collapse by the end of the year.show more

#Pune: #FDA Seizes Suspected Adulterated Food Stock Worth ₹37.61... Lakh Across Seven Locations Pune, July 13: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pune Division, has seized food stocks worth ₹37.61 lakh during a special enforcement drive conducted across seven locations under the state-wide 'Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra' campaign launched by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The inspections were carried out between July 8 and July 12, during which officials seized 92,541 kg/litres of various food products over suspected adulteration and labelling violations. Samples have been collected for laboratory analysis, and further action will depend on the test reports. Among the major actions: * Sangli: FDA officials inspected Malti Agencies on Kupwad Road and collected samples of paneer and lassi. A total of 121 kg of stock worth ₹28,300 was seized over suspected adulteration and labelling deficiencies. * Kolhapur: At Balaji Bakers in Hatkanangale, samples of pista, orange, pineapple and mango cookies were collected. Around 86 kg of products worth ₹29,960 was seized for suspected labelling violations. * Pune: A milk tanker (MH 12 VB 4700) transporting milk from Ajinkyarana Milk Industries, Sangola (Solapur), was intercepted. Officials collected samples and seized 28,498 litres of milk worth ₹11.39 lakh on suspicion of adulteration. Since the milk was perishable, it was destroyed. * Pune: Another milk tanker (MH 16 CC 5001) transporting milk from Priyadarshini Milk Collection Centre, Ambilwadi, Ahilyanagar, was inspected. Authorities seized and destroyed 24,498 litres of milk worth ₹9.79 lakh after collecting samples. * Pune: FDA officials inspected Yashoda Milk and Milk Products, Junnar, collected samples of A2 Gir Cow Milk (DK Brand) and regular cow milk, and seized 1,806 litres worth ₹81,270 due to suspected adulteration and labelling violations. The unit has been ordered to suspend operations until further orders. * Solapur: A surprise inspection at Ajinkyarana Milk Industries, Sangola, found multiple violations, including the absence of purchase and sale records, operating without a valid licence, and breaches of food safety regulations. Officials collected samples, seized 37,532 litres of milk worth ₹15.01 lakh, destroyed the stock, and ordered the chilling centre to cease operations until further notice. In a separate action in Satara district, acting on confidential information, the FDA raided a cattle shed owned by Dilip Bhimrao Bhosale at Hol village in Phaltan taluka. Officials allegedly found whey permeate powder, spray-dried instant tea/coffee creamer, and other substances being used for milk adulteration. An FIR (No. 415/2026) has been registered at Phaltan Police Station against five persons, including the cattle owner and powder suppliers. Further investigation is underway. The FDA stated that strict action against food businesses operating without licences, violating food safety regulations, or selling adulterated and substandard food products will continue. Consumers can report complaints regarding food quality or hygiene on the FDA's toll-free helpline: 1800-222-365.show more

💢🇸🇦🇾🇪 REPORT | Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Ansar Allah... traded fire Monday in an escalation that shatters a years-long truce, as the Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck Sanaa International Airport and the Yemeni group retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in return. 🔸Ansar Allah said Saudi warplanes hit the runway at Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, at 1:54 p.m. to close the airport to humanitarian flights carrying patients and stranded people. Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said the strike was meant to stop an Iranian Mahan Air flight from landing without Saudi authorization. The plane was eventually diverted to Hodeidah, a port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. 🔸In response, Ansar Allah said it fired missiles and drones across the border at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia (see video), an operation it said “successfully achieved its objectives.” 🔸The coalition claimed its air defenses intercepted all missiles and there were no immediate reports of casualties, though explosions were reported by military monitoring accounts in the Saudi cities of Abha, near the Yemeni border, and Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast some 400 miles north. 🔸Ansar Allah warned airlines against flying over Saudi airspace until the “unjust blockade” on Sanaa is lifted, and thanked Iran for operating flights to the airport. A UN-backed ceasefire had largely frozen the conflict since the coalition intervened in 2015.show more

Iran war, day 150 | War is on, Saudi,... Iraq, Saudi and the US are all in -Iran wiped out what’s left of the Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan. -Iran launched 6 ballistics at Jordan -there were direct hits -IRGC launched drone strikes targeting Kurdish separatist parties in Erbil. -Kurdish terrorists are backed by the CIA & Mossad The U.S. continues its refueling ops in Saudi, a full participant in the war How has Yemen been punishing the Saudi terror state? Yemen targeted Saudi oil tankers with ballistics! -Yemeni hit Saudi oil tanker NCC GHAZAL, which violated the maritime blockade imposed on Saudi and ignored repeated warning calls. -multiple ballistic missiles were used in the operation. -Yemeni forces say the tanker was subsequently forced to turn back and retreat from the area. -Yemeni then hit another Saudi tanker NCC GHAZAL, which Yemen says was targeted with multiple ballistic missiles after ignoring warnings and was forced to turn back. -the Red Sea remains closed to all Saudi ships, which impacts both 4 million barrels of oil/day -Saudi is losing over $500 million/day b/c of the SOH & Red Sea closures While Yemen punishes Saudi terrorism, the U.S. and Saudi have been bombing Iraq! -US-Saudi terrorists hit headquarters of Brigade 30 as a result of US-Saudi aggression. -7 members of the PMF were killed -7 members of Hashd Al Shaabi killed -Saudi-US terrorist hit Karbala and Nineveh -Hashd al-Shaabi bases in the provinces of Karbala and Nineveh have also been targeted by Saudi-American attacks. -Also in Karbala, the convoys and stations of Arbaeen pilgrims were targeted by Saudi-US terrorists. -this is reminiscent of the battle of Karbala in 680 AD where Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, (grandson of the Prophet and son of ʿAlī, the rightful successor to the prophet), was defeated and massacred by an army sent by the corrupt Sunni Umayyad caliph Yazīd I, the predecessor of Al Qaeda and ISIS death squads -RECALL the Karbala Massacre of 1801, where Wahhabis killed ~4000 Shia in homes, mosques, and marketplaces. History repeats itself Ansar’Allah and Iran have condemned Saudi/US terrorism on Iraq US journalist: Saudi Arabia is following in the footsteps of ISIS, as they have historically UAE has fully given up its autonomy -they have joined the Abraham accord -there remainders of US bases -UAE joined war with the US vs. Iran And now, UAE allowed US takeover of AI military infrastructure in the country, per CopeCOM: -U.S. Copecom and UAE have agreed to establish their 1st bilateral task force to accelerate the development of military AI apps. -The initiative, named Task Force Talon Synapse, is expected to formally launch in the coming weeks and will focus on integrating AI into intelligence support, critical infrastructure protection, and regional security monitoring. -is this any different from section 219 between the U.S. military & IDF What has Trump been up to? He is taking instruction from his boss Netanyahu, who demands war on Iran -will Trump strike pickaxe mountain? -he will keep arming the kosher mafia in Ukraine, per meetings with Zelensky How absurd is the cost difference for weapons between the US and Iran? 1 example: hypersonics US spends $41 million on dark eagle -8 in stock. Mack 5 top speed. Basic -not yet tested in combat Iran has Kheibar Shekan -over 1000 in stock. 1 million each -over Mach 8 - tried and tested in combat -low cost, mobile, accurate, and rapid launch capability. -kheibar-4 has top speed Mach 16 -1500kg war headshow more

We’re now less than six days away—on May 3rd—from... the 1 million CTF token burn, a major step toward enabling cross-chain bridging. This reduction in supply is expected to create short-term upward pressure across supported chains. We’re also proud to share that, in the past six months alone, nearly $3 million worth of receipts have been processed through our onboarded vendors—Amazon and Walmart—demonstrating growing utility and adoption of the platform. Following the burn event, we’ll provide updates on the outcomes as we move closer to achieving cross-chain interoperability for our payment rewards system. We continue to work closely with key partners such as @MEXC_Official , LBank.com and Banxchange to deliver ongoing cashback rewards. You can learn more by visiting the under the ‘info’ tab. Additionally, we’re excited to expand our collaboration with a leading XRP Ledger exchange—details will be shared in the coming days. For more information, visitshow more

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly considering leaving Saudi Arabian side... Al-Nassr in the summer, with a return to Europe or a move to the MLS considered potential options. The 40-year-old, who, on a contract worth £488,000 per day, is the highest-paid footballer in history, began a strike earlier this week. Ronaldo is claimed to unhappy with the manner in which Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is handling Al-Nassr's finances, particularly in comparison to how they are treating rival clubs. The PIF controls a 75 per cent stake in four Saudi Pro League clubs — Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Ronaldo's Al-Nassr — and has been the driving force behind the league's ability to attract some of world football's biggest names on lucrative contracts. Al-Hilal completed the signing of Ronaldo's former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema on Monday, moving from fellow Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad. Al-Hilal are currently one point clear of Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, with the veteran Portuguese star said to believe his club have not been treated fairly in the transfer market. According to Portuguese newspaper Record, Ronaldo's frustration has led to him considering leaving Al-Nassr in the summer. The report claims Ronaldo has a £43million (€50m) release clause, with the veteran having 18 months to run on a two-year deal he signed last summer. It remains to be seen whether any club would look to trigger the release clause, given Ronaldo is set to turn 41 on Thursday. It is claimed that a return to Europe or a move to the MLS could be possible options for Ronaldo. In December, Ronaldo hinted at a possible return to Europe as he reiterated his ambition to reach 1,000 career goals.show more

Crackdown on Adulterated Food items continue by Hyderabad City... Police , 1090 kgs of #Adulterated and #Unhygienic Ginger 🫚 Garlic Paste seized at premises of Shehzada Food Master in #HabeebNagar , the #GingerGarlicPaste supplies to Restaurants, Wholesale & retail shops in #Hyderabad and police arrested one accused. The Adulterated Ginger Garlic Paste is Hazardous to Human Life. On credible information, the sleuths of Commissioner’s Task Force, Khairtabad Zone Team, Hyderabad, conducted a surprise inspection at premises Shehzada Food Master #11-1-1162, Near Gatala Masjid, Afzalsagar, Habeeb Nagar, Mallepally, Hyderabad, under the limits of Habeeb Nagar PS. During the inspection, (01) accused person by name Mohammed Farooq (50), Owner of (Shehzada Food Master), a R/o Nampally, was manufacturing ginger and garlic paste in plastic containers under highly unhygienic conditions by mixing the chemicals like Ascitic Acid, Synthetic food colors, gum powder and Salt. The prepared paste was stored in open plastic tubs, exposed to dust, flies, and other contaminants, rendering the product unsafe and unfit for human consumption. The said Garlic & Ginger Paste was supplying to various Wholesale Kirana stores and Food Catering services and gaining huge profits in illegal manner. it was also noticed that FSSAI License No. 13617011001223 was found printed copy at the premises, which was expired on 07-09-2018. The adulterated Ginger Garlic paste is hazardous to human life. Seized Products: ParticularsNo. of Qty - Total kgs 🔹1. Ginger Garlic Paste 1 kg 10 Boxes @ 24 Bottles 240 - 240 kg 🔹2. Ginger Garlic Paste 500 grams, 7 Boxes @ 50 Bottles 350- 175 kg 🔹3. Ginger Garlic Paste 200 Grams, 2 Cartons, 12 Boxes, 124- 50 kg 🔹4. Ginger Garlic Paste 5 kgs @ 48 Boxes48- 240 kg 🔹5. Loose Ginger Garlic Paste 1 Drum @ 60 kgs 1 - 60 kg 🔹6. Loose Ginger Garlic Paste 3 Drum @ 50 kgs 3 - 150 kg 🔹7. Loose Ginger Garlic Paste 1 Drum @ 40 kgs 1- 40 kg 🔹8. Loose Ginger Garlic Paste round tub 2 @ 50 kgs2- 100 kg 🔹9. Ginger Garlic Paste without Label 1 KG @ 35 Boxes 35- 35 kg TOTAL WEIGHT OF GINGER GARLIC PASTE - 1090 KGS 🔹1. Unhygienic Loose Garlic Bags 30 kgs 25750 🔹2. Unhygienic Loose Ginger Bags 50 kgs 2.5125 TOTAL WEIGHT OF LOOSE GINGER & GARLIC875 🔹1. Starch Powder 500 Grams1500 gm 🔹2. Salt Bags (Each bag 50 Kgs)4200 Kgs 🔹3. Gum Powder 500 Grams1500 gm 🔹4. Blue star Lemon Yellow Synthetic Food Colour 500 grams1500 gm 🔹5. Ascitic Acid 1 Liter11 L 🔹6. Accused Mobile Phone Oppo F21s Pro 5G1-- 🔹7. Grinding Machinery (01) Small & (01) Big2-- All worth around Rs. 2,20,000/- Facts of the case: The accused individual, Mohammed Farooq who is engaged in manufacturing and sale of Ginger & Garlic Paste by using adulterate products, and supplies large quantities to restaurants, wholesale shops and retail shops in an around Hyderabad thereby gaining huge profits. SD/- Andhe Srinivas Rao, Addl. DCP, Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad City.show more

SONY RAN OUT OF PEOPLE TO IGNORE twelve days... since sony announced the end of physical discs. twelve days of silence toward players. meanwhile, in courtrooms and regulators' offices: - Brazil: a federal deputy is demanding an official investigation, and congress is weighing a digital ownership bill - Netherlands: a consumer group suing for $457 million on behalf of 1.7 million players has now escalated its case over the disc decision - UK: a £2 billion claim over playstation store pricing has already been argued in court. closing arguments are done - a ruling is expected within months - Mexico: two federal lawmakers are preparing an antitrust complaint against sony as the sole seller and sole price-setter on its platform and here's the twist. for years, sony's answer in these cases was simple: there's competition, you can always buy the disc. on july 1, sony deleted its own alibi. the petition got silence. the cancellations got coupons. this one comes with a court date.show more

Major Pakistani 🇵🇰 Losses in IAF 🇮🇳 Strikes during... operation Sindoor. - Key Aerial Losses: • 6 Pakistan Air Force fighter jets were shot down during the operations. - 2 high-value aerial assets were destroyed. • One was Saab Erieye AEW&C, targeted at the Bholari airbase. • The 2nd, potentially an electronic countermeasures aircraft, was neutralized by a long-range S-400 missile strike from nearly 300 km away. - Transport Aircraft destroyed • 1 C-130 transport aircraft was taken out by an Indian drone strike in Pakistani Punjab. - Unmanned Assets and Cruise Missiles: • Over 10 UCAVs, including Chinese-origin Wing Loong drones, were destroyed. Both on the ground in hangars and during flight using IAF’s air defense systems. - Multiple missiles intercepted and destroyed • A large number of Pakistani cruise and ballistic missiles (approx 30+) were intercepted mid-air before reaching their intended targets on Indian airbases.show more

✨ The Latin celebration began on June 2 with... the international release of Bize Bir Şey Olmaz, launched worldwide under the title We’ll Be Fine. In just two days, the series managed to enter the Top 10 in several countries, once again proving its strong impact on audiences. Without a doubt, this success confirms once again that #MertRamazanDemir is synonymous with popularity and talent. Moreover, the series, which has been on air in Turkey for over two months, continues to hold the number-one spot in its home country 🇹🇷 🎉 The phenomenon keeps growing and winning hearts across new borders! 🌎❤️ Tell us which Latin American country you’re watching the series from—drop your flag in the comments! 🇨🇴 🇭🇳 🇨🇷 🇨🇱 🇵🇦show more

🚨 THIS IS NOT NORMAL The Iran conflict has... now opened another major front. The Houthis attacked two Saudi Arabian vessels last night. Trump immediately warned: “If they do it again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, as the Houthis are its puppets.” This changes the situation completely. The U.S. is no longer treating future Houthi attacks as isolated actions from Yemen. It is saying: → Houthis attack Saudi Arabia → Iran is held responsible → The U.S. may respond directly against Iran Now connect the dots: → Commercial vessels were attacked → Saudi shipping is now under threat → Trump publicly blamed Iran → The U.S. warned of consequences if it happens again → Iran and the U.S. are already threatening larger retaliation This is not de-escalation. It creates another retaliation loop: → Houthis strike Saudi vessels → Saudi Arabia responds in Yemen → Houthis target Saudi oil infrastructure → The U.S. blames Iran → Iran retaliates against U.S. or Gulf targets The Strait of Hormuz is already unstable. Now the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb are becoming active military zones again. That puts two of the world’s most important energy routes at risk at the same time. The market consequences are simple: → Shipping and insurance costs rise → Saudi oil exports face disruption → Oil moves higher → Inflation expectations return → Fed cuts get priced out → Liquidity tightens → Stocks and crypto come under pressure The most dangerous part is Trump’s warning. The next Houthi attack may not remain a Saudi-Yemen issue. It could be treated as a direct Iranian escalation. One more strike on a tanker or Saudi oil facility could trigger a much larger regional response. Markets are still treating this as another temporary headline. They may not understand the risk until the next attack happens. Keep in mind: I called the 2025 $BTC ATH. I called the move from $126K to $60K. Follow and turn notifications on. I’ll post the warning before the market fully reacts.show more

"A new UN report says Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa... is ISIS “primary target” for assassination." That’s a blatant lie! UN sold out his principles for money. It is an open secret that this is a lie. Jolani’s origins are with ISIS, and his current forces are teeming with their fighters. Over the last fortnight, after the Kurds—who crushed ISIS—engaged in combat, Jolani intervened to free thousands of ISIS terrorists. Just two months ago, a militant from Jolani’s ranks assassinated two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter during an initial meeting with the U.S. Today, ISIS flags and extremist doctrines are normalized in schools and public squares, while the UN remains silent on the specific locations where the first and second ISIS leaders were eliminated. The two top ISIS "Caliphs" killed by U.S. forces in areas under the control of Jolani (HTS) and near the Turkish border are: 1-Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (October 2019): The founder of ISIS was killed during a U.S. Special Forces raid in the village of Barisha, Idlib. This location was only a few kilometers from the Turkish border. The Syrian Kurdish forces (SDF) provided the critical intelligence that led to his discovery. 2-Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (February 2022): The second leader of ISIS was killed in a similar U.S. operation in the town of Atmeh, Idlib. Like Baghdadi, he was hiding in a territory controlled by Jolani’s forces and situated right on the border with Turkey. The Key Controversy: Both leaders were found hiding in Idlib, a region under the strict control of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani and monitored by Turkish military posts. This has led many to question how the world's most wanted terrorists could hide in such a small, controlled area without the knowledge or protection of local authorities and regional powers. Finally, it seems the person who wrote this report is the same UN employee filmed in that car having sex with his colleague. 😏show more

IRAN JUST HIT THE LARGEST OIL EXPORT TERMINAL ON... EARTH AND THIS TIME THERE IS NO PROXY TO BLAME A Shahed-136 drone struck Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery on March 2, igniting a fire that was quickly contained according to Reuters and Bloomberg citing industry sources. Saudi Aramco shut down the entire facility as a precautionary measure. No casualties were reported. The Saudi Defence Ministry confirmed it intercepted drones targeting the site, with debris causing the ground fire per The Hindu. Ras Tanura processes 550,000 barrels per day. It is one of the largest oil refining and export complexes on the planet. And Iran just hit it with a $30,000 drone. On September 14, 2019, drones and cruise missiles struck Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq processing facility and Khurais oil field, temporarily halving Saudi output by 5.7 million barrels per day. The Houthis claimed responsibility. The United States, Saudi Arabia, and European intelligence agencies concluded Iran orchestrated the attack. Tehran denied involvement. The proxy shield held. No retaliation followed. Oil spiked 15% on Monday, then unwound within two weeks as production resumed. That playbook is dead. In 2026, Iran is launching strikes against Saudi territory under its own flag as part of Operation True Promise 4. The IRGC is simultaneously hitting nine countries. There is no Houthi intermediary absorbing attribution. There is no plausible deniability. Iran struck Ras Tanura, and every intelligence agency, every oil trader, and every Saudi military commander knows exactly who launched the drone, from which territory, under whose orders. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spent eight years building Vision 2030 around a single premise: that Saudi Arabia could diversify away from oil dependence while maintaining the kingdom’s security through a combination of American protection and regional de-escalation with Iran. MBS authorized backchannel normalization with Tehran through China in 2023. The Saudi-Iran detente was the centerpiece of Gulf stability. That detente just burned on the tarmac at Ras Tanura. Saudi Arabia has not been a co-belligerent in Operation Epic Fury. Riyadh did not participate in strikes on Iran. Saudi airspace may have been used for overflight, and Saudi air defenses are intercepting Iranian ordnance, but the kingdom has deliberately avoided offensive operations. The reward for that restraint is an Iranian drone on the crown jewel of Saudi economic infrastructure. Now stack the arithmetic. The Strait of Hormuz is functionally closed, sealing 15 million barrels per day. Ras Tanura’s 550,000 barrels per day is offline. Kuwait International Airport was struck. Jebel Ali port in the UAE showed smoke on satellite. Brent crude already surged 9% to $79.45 per barrel per Bloomberg before this strike was reported. Ras Tanura was not on the market’s pricing model. The market priced Hormuz disruption. The market priced Gulf airspace closure. The market did not price Iran directly attacking Saudi refining capacity because the market assumed Saudi neutrality provided protection. Saudi neutrality provided a target. Monday morning’s crude open will reprice everything written above. And Riyadh will answer a question MBS has avoided for three years: does Saudi Arabia enter this war, or absorb the next drone?show more