Saudi Arabia Says Air Defences Foiled Drone Attack on Oil Facilities
Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed several drones targeting oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, accusing Iran-backed militias operating from Iraq of carrying out the attempted attacks.
According to the Saudi Defence Ministry, the drones were detected and neutralised over the course of several hours before they could reach their intended targets. Officials said the country’s air defence forces successfully prevented any reported damage to critical energy infrastructure.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki alleged that the drones were launched from Iraqi territory by militias backed by Iran, describing the incident as a terrorist attack against Saudi Arabia’s vital facilities.
Al-Maliki stated that the kingdom has the legitimate right to protect its sovereignty and strategic infrastructure. He added that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to respond to the attacks at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with its national security interests.
The statement did not provide details on the number of drones intercepted or identify the specific groups allegedly responsible for the launches.
Iraqi authorities had not issued an official response to the Saudi allegations at the time of publication.
The incident adds to ongoing regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia continuing to strengthen security around its energy infrastructure amid concerns over cross-border drone and missile threats.
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