Saudi Arabia intercepts drones launched from Iraq, blames Iranian-backed militias
Saudi defense officials said they shot down several drones targeting oil facilities, accusing Iranian-aligned militias in Iraq of the attacks amid rising regional tensions.
Saudi Arabia reported that its air defenses destroyed multiple drones aimed at petroleum installations in the Eastern Province and the capital region on Monday. The defense ministry said the unmanned aircraft were launched from Iraqi territory by militias linked to Iran and called on Baghdad to stop the use of its soil for such operations.
The incident marks the kingdom's first direct military response to drone attacks from Iraq since the collapse of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire. It follows a declaration by Yemen's Houthi rebels of a naval blockade along the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, as well as their claim of targeting Saudi oil transport routes with drones.
Regional security agencies in Jordan and Israel also reported intercepting drones near their borders, though the origins of those flights remain under investigation. The broader area has seen heightened activity after Iran struck sites in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in retaliation for recent U.S. air raids, while the United States paused its own bombing campaign.