Saudi Arabia announced Monday that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraq that were targeting oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and the capital, Riyadh.

In a statement, the Saudi Defense Ministry said the drones were launched by Iranian-backed terrorist militias operating from Iraqi territory. “These terrorist attacks originated from Iraq and were carried out by Iranian-backed militias,” the ministry said.

Saudi officials stressed that the kingdom “reserves the right to defend itself and its assets” and will respond “at the appropriate time and place.”

The incident comes amid a pause in hostilities between the United States and Iran, as the Trump administration continues diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a renewed agreement with Tehran. The attempted attack is likely to heighten concerns that Iran’s regional proxies could undermine those efforts and trigger a broader escalation.

The drone attack also followed reports earlier Monday that the IDF intercepted two drones near the Jordanian border before they entered Israeli airspace. Jordan later said it had also intercepted two drones over its territory, though it remains unclear whether the incidents were connected.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)