US official says Iran behind Saudi attack, Pence warns of possible strikes

The United States has concluded that an attack on Saudi oil facilities was launched from Iran, a US official said Tuesday as Vice President Mike Pence again warned that the US military is "locked and loaded" for a possible response.

The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the strike involved cruise missiles and that evidence would be presented at the UN General Assembly next week.

Pence announced that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to Saudi Arabia to "discuss our response."
The apparent hardening of the US position came as Iran's supreme leader ruled out negotiations with Washington "at any level."
"That was a very large attack, and it could be met by an attack many, many times larger."
The US military, he said, was working with its partners to "address this unprecedented attack."
Another Republican, Senator John Thune, said that if Iran were proven to be behind the Saudi attack, that "crosses a line that hasn't been crossed before and, yeah, I think it'd be certainly appropriate for the US and allies to respond."