The Saudi Defense Ministry on Tuesday evening said it destroyed drones launched from Iraqi territory by pro-Iranian militias, which were targeting oil facilities in the eastern region.
The Saudi Defense Ministry on Tuesday evening officially confirmed that it destroyed drones launched from Iraqi territory by pro-Iranian militias, targeting oil facilities in the eastern region. The statement provides the ministry's own attribution of the launch origin, following earlier reports of interceptions that had not yet specified the source.
Earlier Tuesday, as The Zioneer reported at 11:00 Jerusalem, the Houthi military spokesman claimed responsibility for a drone strike on Saudi oil facilities in Bqiq, while Riyadh blamed Iraqi Shiite militias for the attack. The Iraqi militias denied involvement. Saudi Arabia then confirmed the interception of drones targeting the Eastern Region at 11:00, and at 22:34 Jerusalem reported additional interceptions this evening. The Defense Ministry's latest clarification now identifies the launch origin as Iraq.
The attack is part of a sustained campaign against Saudi energy infrastructure by Iranian-backed proxies. As The Zioneer reported on Monday, July 27, pro-Iranian militias in Iraq launched drones targeting Saudi oil facilities, and satellite imagery showed damage at the Abqaiq facility. The Zioneer also reported on June 19 that IRGC elite units operated covert cells in Iraq to conduct drone strikes against Gulf states, bypassing local militia command structures.
It remains unclear whether the Houthi claim of responsibility is accurate, given the distance of the target from Houthi-controlled territory. The Iraqi militias have denied involvement, and the Saudi attribution to Iraqi militias has not been independently confirmed. No casualties or damage have been reported in connection with the 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