Investigating the Saudi Oil Attack

American investigators are examining missile circuit boards recovered after strikes against Saudi oil facilities to determine the trajectory of the attack — and whether it originated from Iran — as the Trump administration debates how, and whether, to retaliate, as the NYT’s Eric Schmitt, Julian Barnes and David Kirkpatrick report.

And, as the WSJ reports, Saudi Arabia will soon restore most of its oil output and fully recover within weeks, the country’s oil ministry said Tuesday, seeking to calm global markets.

Dive Deeper: Check out our latest podcast, “The Truth of the Matter,” in which Bob Schieffer and I interviewed CSIS’s Seth Jones today about the attack on Saudi Arabia.

“A Credibility Test for U.S.-Saudi Defense Relations and Iran Deterrence,” by the Washington Institute’s Michael Knights.

Polls Close in Israeli Election

Polls have closed in Israel’s do-over election on Tuesday, an unprecedented second national vote in five months meant to break a season of paralyzing political deadlock. Exit polls released at the end of voting showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party tied or narrowly trailing its main rival, the Blue and White Party led by former Army Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. Neither party looks close to an outright majority in the parliament, meaning Israelis could be in for months of political deal making before a governing coalition emerges, as the Washington Post reports.

Fed Injects Billions

The Federal Reserve injected billions of dollars into the U.S. financial system in the first such intervention in more than a decade as the central bank sought to alleviate funding pressures caused by a sudden scarcity of cash, as the FT reports.

Enroll for Fall

Now enrolling for the Fall, CSIS & Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs offer a new Executive Master's in International Relations. Information here.

Video Shorts

Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Testify” and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!

In That Number

50%

Saudi Arabia has restored 50% of production lost in Saturday’s attacks.

Source: WSJ

Critical Quote

“Iranian officials, at any level, will never talk to American officials.”

— Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

iDeas Lab

Demonstrated by the attack on the Abqaiq oil refinery this weekend, Iran and its proxies pose a significant threat to Saudi Arabia's critical infrastructure. Watch the CSIS High Resolution on the Iranian infrastructure threat.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and video.

Optics

In memory of Cokie Roberts (1943-2019)

This Town Tomorrow

At 9:00 a.m., CSIS will host a conversation with Ruslan Pukhov from Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies about points of contention and agreement between Iran and Russia.

And, at 9:30 a.m., CSIS will hold a panel discussion to mark the public report launch of Investment Facilitation Revisited, which outlines investment in transitional and fragile states.

Later, at 4:00 p.m., the CSIS Energy Program will host a panel discussion with experts on low-carbon pathways for future economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Video

CSIS held two panel discussions yesterday about the rising threat of domestic terrorism. The panels discussed the appropriate application of international terrorism laws, policies, and lessons to domestic violent extremism. Watch the event here.

Podcasts

CSIS is out with a new podcast, "The Truth of the Matter." Each week, Bob Schieffer and I will break down the policy issues of the day with CSIS experts. No spin, no bombast, no finger pointing. Just informed discussion.

In our second episode, CSIS Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project Seth Jones breaksdown the recent attack on Saudi Arabia's oil production facilities.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

“It’s just a broken lullaby…”

The ultra-cool, brilliant Ric Ocasek wrote and arranged most of the Cars’ songs but didn’t sing all of them. He often traded vocals with band co-founder and bassist Benjamin Orr who sang lead on monster hit tracks like “Just What I Needed,” “Let’s Go” and “Drive.”

Orr, who died in 2000 at 53 of pancreatic cancer also sang lead on another one of my favorite Cars’ tunes, “Bye Bye Love.” Watch this clip of the band performing the track live in 1977, the year the song was released. Ocasek doesn’t sing, doesn’t play lead guitar or keyboards. The rest of the band, especially Orr, is energetic and compelling. But somehow, Ocasek’s stage presence looms larger than everyone else in the band.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed with the External Relations team: Emma Colbran, Caleb Diamond, and Brad Honigberg.