Saudi Arabia reports intercepting Iran-backed drones targeting oil facilities in eastern province and Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia reported on Monday that it intercepted drones targeting oil facilities in its eastern province and Riyadh. The Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that the country reserves the right to respond to the attack, which it attributed to Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq. Simultaneously, Yemen’s Houthi rebels reported targeting Saudi crude oil transport infrastructure, though it was unclear if the incidents were coordinated. These attacks occur during a period of reduced hostilities between the United States and Iran. While Washington has paused strikes on Iran, Tehran has also paused attacks on its US allies in the Gulf. However, the drone strikes suggest that Iran-aligned armed groups may not be ready to follow the same diplomatic shift. Additionally, Jordan and Iraq reported drone attacks on Monday. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi of Iraq stated that the country will not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against neighbors, as Baghdad investigates the Saudi claim that the drones were fired from its land.