Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday night that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several unmanned aerial vehicles that tried to strike oil facilities in the eastern province. The confirmation follows earlier reports of a similar incident.
The Saudi Defense Ministry on Tuesday night officially confirmed that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed multiple unmanned aerial vehicles aimed at oil facilities in the kingdom's eastern province. The statement, issued hours after the incident, aligns with earlier reports of the attempted attack.
The thread of the story began earlier Tuesday at 11:00 Jerusalem, when initial reports — citing the Abu Ali Express channel — said Saudi Arabia reported damage to oil facilities in Bqiq following a drone strike. Riyadh blamed Iraqi Shiite militias for the attack; the militias denied involvement, while Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility despite the facility being over 1,000 km from Houthi-controlled territory. By 11:00, Saudi Arabia confirmed that its air defenses had intercepted drones targeting the Eastern Region, and the Defense Ministry specified that the drones were launched from Iraqi territory by pro-Iranian militias. The Zioneer later reported at 22:53 that the ministry had destroyed the drones.
The attack is part of a broader pattern of Iranian-backed aggression against Saudi energy infrastructure. As The Zioneer reported on Monday, Saudi forces intercepted several drones launched from Iraq by Iranian-backed militias targeting oil facilities in the Eastern Region and the capital Riyadh, with no casualties or damage reported. The Gulf region has been on heightened alert in recent weeks, with air defense systems activated in Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE amid ongoing Iranian missile and drone threats.
The Saudi statement did not disclose the number of drones intercepted or the exact time of the interception. No casualties or damage to energy infrastructure have been reported in connection with this incident.
3 developments
- StrongThis morning: Drone launches reported toward Israel, Jordan; explosions near Saudi oil facilities
- StrongHouthi spokesman: Drone strike targeted Saudi oil facilities from east to Yanbu
- DevelopingSaudi outlet: State sensors detect drones heading from Yemen to Saudi airport
- DevelopingShiite sources claim downing of multiple US drones over Iraq overnight
Source and signal
- Open-source intake