Saudi Arabia condemned an attack originating from Iraqi territory, calling on the Iraqi government to prevent such strikes, according to ynet.
Earlier today, at 15:13 Jerusalem, the Saudi Defense Ministry announced it had intercepted several drones launched from Iraq by Iran-backed militias, targeting oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh area. The ministry reserved the right to respond and stated that no damage or casualties occurred.
Shortly thereafter, the Saudi Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the attack, and now has followed with a new statement explicitly calling on the Iraqi government to prevent such strikes from its territory. The ministry did not specify the nature of the attack or the perpetrators, but reiterated the origin in Iraq.
As The Zioneer reported earlier today, the initial Defense Ministry announcements identified the drones as launched by "armed militias in Iraq affiliated with Iran" and confirmed the targets were oil facilities. The Foreign Ministry's latest condemnation, urging Baghdad to act, represents an escalation in Riyadh's diplomatic pressure on Iraq over the use of its territory for attacks on the kingdom.
It remains unclear which specific Iran-backed militia group launched the attack, and no independent verification of the perpetrators has been provided.
10 developments
- DevelopingPakistan condemns drone strikes against Saudi Arabia, won't allow its territory to be used for attacks
- DevelopingIraq's State Administration Coalition: Attacking neighbors from Iraqi territory is prohibited
- DevelopingAl-Arabiya: Iraqi sources claim armed groups plan drone attacks on neighboring states within 48 hours
- StrongIraqi PM Ali Al-Zaidi condemns drone attack on Erbil airspace
Source and signal
- Open-source intake