Saudi Arabia says it has intercepted and destroyed several drones that attempted to target oil facilities in the country’s Eastern Province and the capital, Riyadh.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense said the drones were launched from Iraq by Iran-backed militias in what it described as “terrorist attacks” carried out over several hours targeting its oil facilities.
Read Also: Saudi Arabia detains 14,970 people in week-long security crackdown
The spokesperson of the defense ministry, Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said Saudi Arabia had the right to defend its security, people and critical infrastructure, adding that the country reserved the right to respond at the appropriate time and place.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attacks and accused Iran-backed militias in Iraq of carrying them out using drones.
The ministry reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s determination to safeguard its security and sovereignty, deter aggression and respond to the sources of the attacks.
It also called on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent Iraqi territory from being used to launch attacks against the kingdom.