Saudi Arabia reports intercepting drones from Iraq that targeted oil facilities and Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia reported on Monday that it intercepted drones launched from Iraq that targeted oil facilities in its eastern province and the capital city of Riyadh. The Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that the country reserves the right to respond to the attacks, which were attributed to Iran-backed armed groups. Iraq Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi stated that the government is investigating the claim that the drones were fired from its territory. Al-Zaidi said the government will not allow its land to be used to launch attacks against neighboring countries. This incident follows a similar event in May, where Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported drones launched from Iraqi territory. The attacks occurred during a period of relative calm between the United States and Iran. While Washington has paused strikes on Iran, the drone activity suggests that Iran-aligned factions are not yet ready to follow the same strategy. Additionally, Yemen's Houthi rebels reported targeting Saudi crude oil transport infrastructure, while Jordan and northern Iraq also reported drone strikes during the same period.