US suspects possible Russian assistance to Iran during attacks against CIA bases in Gulf

US intelligence is investigating potential Russian assistance to Iran in drone attacks against CIA facilities in the Gulf, according to four anonymous sources familiar with US intelligence. While no firm conclusions have been reached, the precision of the strikes and Russia's broader technical support for Iran are being considered as evidence. At least two CIA sites were struck in March, including the CIA station within the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a separate facility in eastern Iraq. An internal memo from a Western intelligence agency suggests Russia likely played a role in targeting these facilities. Analysts suspect the Saudi attack involved Russian-enhanced versions of Iran's Shahed drones, with Russia potentially supplying a more accurate satellite navigation system, the Kometa-M, for the Shahed-136s. Daniel Hoffman, a former CIA station chief, stated it would not be surprising for Moscow to help Tehran, as "They share an interest in trying to reduce or eliminate US influence altogether in their self-designated spheres of influence."