NewsTracker Answers for week of Sep. 16, 2019

Q: Explosions hit two key oil installations in Saudi Arabia and knocked out more than half the kingdom’s oil output in an apparent wave of drone attacks Saturday claimed by Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. Where is Saudi Arabia?

Circle the area on this map


Q: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of being behind the attack. That was denied by Iran which is a Persian Gulf rival of Saudi Arabia that is located ...

A. North of Saudi Arabia

B. East of Saudi Arabia

C. South of Saudi Arabia

D. West of Saudi Arabia


B. Iran lies across the Persian Gulf on Saudi Arabia’s east coast and has been supporting the Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saudi Arabia’s southern border. Saudi forces and their allies have been fighting and bombing the Houthis in Yemen. It was unclear where the drone attacks were launched.


Q: It is unknown how long Saudi oil production and exports will be cut by the drone attacks, and global oil prices are expected to rise. Which nation produces the most oil?

A. Iran

B. Russia

C. Saudi Arabia

D. United States


D. The United States both produces and consumes the most oil in the world. The world’s biggest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia ranks second in production followed by Russia. Iran has been a major oil producer, but its exports plummeted after the United States quit an international nuclear deal and extended sanctions on the country. Iran has appeared increasingly desperate as its economy crashed.


Q: In denying U.S. blame for the attacks, Iran said it was ready for a “full-fledged” war and warned its missiles could strike “all American bases and their aircraft carriers” within 1,200 miles. War could shut down Persian Gulf shipping. About how much of the world’s oil trade runs through the gulf?

A. Half

B. Quarter

C. Fifth

D. Tenth


C. About 20% of all oil traded worldwide passes through the Persian Gulf, and about 80% of that goes to fast-growing, energy-hungry countries in Asia, including China, Japan, India and South Korea. Gulf tankers also carry about a third of the world’s liquefied natural gas. Earlier this year, Iran was accused of sabotaging and later seized tankers in the gulf’s narrow Strait of Hormuz.


Q: The Houthi rebels claimed they used 10 relatively inexpensive drones to attack the oil sites. Saudi Arabia spent more than $67 billion on its military last year, ranking third highest in spending. The United States spends the most on its military. Which nation ranks second?

A. China

B. France

C. India

D. Russia


A. China spent about $250 billion on its military, far less than the $649 million spent by the United States. In fact the United States spent more than the combined spending of China, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Russia, Britain and Germany, which ranked second through eighth. While ranking third in spending, Saudi Arabia devoted more of its gross domestic product to its military than any of the other top 40 nations.