Experts, Satellite Images Suggest a Saudi Ballistic Missile Program - Reports

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Saudi Arabia was caught committing what it is ‘accusing’ the Islamic Republic of.

A military base deep inside Saudi Arabia appears to be testing and possibly manufacturing ballistic missiles, experts and satellite images suggest, evidence of the type of weapons program it has long criticized Iran for possessing.

Further raising the stakes for any such program are comments by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who said last year the kingdom wouldn't hesitate to develop nuclear weapons if Iran does.

Ballistic missiles can carry nuclear warheads to targets thousands of kilometers away.

However, Saudi officials in Riyadh and the Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Having such a program could further strain relations with the US, the kingdom's longtime security partner, at a time when ties already are being tested by the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Jeffrey Lewis, a missile expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, said heavy investment in missiles often correlates with an interest in nuclear weapons.

"I would be a little worried that we're underestimating the Saudis' ambitions here," said Lewis, who has studied the satellite images.

The images, first reported by The Washington Post, focus on a military base near the town of al-Dawadmi, some 230 kilometers west of Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

Jane's Defence Weekly first identified the base in 2013, suggesting its two launch pads appear oriented to target "Israel" and Iran with ballistic missiles the kingdom previously bought from China.

The November satellite images show what appear to be structures big enough to build and fuel ballistic missiles. An apparent rocket-engine test stand can be seen in a corner of the base — the type on which a rocket is positioned on its side and test-fired in place. Such testing is key for countries attempting to manufacture working missiles, experts say.

Michael Elleman, the senior fellow for missile defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Washington, also reviewed the satellite photos and said they appear to show a ballistic missile program.

The question remains where Saudi Arabia gained the technical know-how to build such a facility. Lewis said the Saudi stand closely resembles a design used by China, though it is smaller.

Saudi Arabia, along with the Zionist entity and the United States, have long criticized Iran's ballistic missile program, viewing it as a “regional threat.”

However, Iran’s nuclear program for now remains limited by its 2015 deal with world powers, and insists the atomic program is peaceful.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team