Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraq that were targeting its oil facilities and the capital, Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia successfully thwarted a series of drone attacks launched by Iran-backed armed groups operating in Iraq. The Saudi Defense Ministry reported that the air defenses intercepted and destroyed the drones before they could reach their targets in the kingdom's Eastern Province and Riyadh. The kingdom condemned the incident as an act of aggression and called on the Iraqi government to take measures to prevent its territory from being used as a launch point. Simultaneously, oil prices fell sharply on Monday as a pause in hostilities between the United States and Iran eased concerns over global energy supplies. Brent crude dropped more than 7% at one point, briefly falling below $90 a barrel. The move reflects a growing hope for de-escalation and a return to ceasefire negotiations. While Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran does not currently hold direct talks with the US, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical point of focus for managing safe shipping passage.