RIYADH – Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that its air defense forces intercepted and destroyed several drones in the past few hours that tried to target oil facilities in the Eastern Province, blaming Iranian-backed militias operating from Iraqi territory for the attacks.
Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the attempted attack was launched from Iraq by an Iranian-backed terrorist militia. He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s inherent right to defend its country and its critical infrastructure, adding that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to respond at a time and place of its own choosing.
In a separate statement, the Foreign Ministry condemned in the strongest terms the continued drone attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq against oil facilities in the Eastern Province.
The ministry said Saudi Arabia remains committed to safeguarding its security and sovereignty and retains the legitimate legal right to take all necessary measures to address the roots of aggression and deter future attacks.
He reiterated his call on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent the country’s territory from being used as a launching pad for attacks against Saudi Arabia.
