Saudi Arabia says it intercepted Iraq-launched drones targeting oil sites
Saudi Arabia said multiple drones aimed at oil facilities in the Eastern Province were shot down, blamed Iran-backed militias in Iraq and said it reserved the right to respond while urging Baghdad to prevent further launches.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted multiple drones targeting oil facilities in the Eastern Province, blaming Iran-backed militias operating from Iraqi territory and saying the attacks were thwarted by its air defenses over several hours. Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki called the incidents “terrorist attempts” and said the kingdom had the legitimate right to defend its vital infrastructure, while the Foreign Ministry said Saudi Arabia reserved its right under international law to take necessary measures to respond and deter those responsible. Riyadh also urged the Iraqi government to prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad for attacks. There was no immediate comment from Iraqi authorities. The episode renews scrutiny of the vulnerability of Saudi energy infrastructure, a key risk for oil markets since the 2019 Abqaiq attack temporarily cut the kingdom’s production capacity in half and sent oil prices up roughly 15% in a single session.
- drone strikes: Attacks carried out using unmanned aircraft, often used to target infrastructure from a distance.
- oil production capacity: The volume of crude oil a producer is able to pump over a given period under normal operating conditions.