The missiles flew over Iraq and Kuwaiti before hitting Saudi targets, report

Saudi Arabia recovered fully intact circuit boards from one of the weapons used in the attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, according to a US official with direct knowledge of the latest information.

Both drones and cruise missiles were used in the attack. The official added that the Saudis and the US expect to be able to trace to Iran for the point of origin of those boards and possible flight data.

The official told CNN that the weapon recovered was one of the missiles that missed its target completely and landed in the desert intact. That is where circuit board was retrieved.

The official pointed out the attack was sophisticated, specifically designed for plausible deniability by virtue of the route the missiles took. It also was a route that avoided the areas where the US has highest concentration of US intel assets that might have detected the flight.

Some context: CNN reported earlier today that the missiles, according to the investigators’ current assessment, flew over southern Iraq and through Kuwaiti airspace before reaching their targets. Kuwait on Monday announced it had launched an investigation into reports of sightings of drones or missiles shortly before the Saudi targets were hit. A CNN source said the missiles would have avoided traveling over the Persian Gulf, where US and Saudi radar systems are strongest. The Kingdom’s air defense systems are focused on the Gulf.

CNN