Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed several drones on Monday that had been launched from Iraqi territory. Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, the official spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defense, said the drones intercepted and destroyed over the past several hours had attempted to target oil facilities in the Eastern Province and the Riyadh region. Al-Maliki said the "terrorist attacks originated from Iraqi territory and were carried out by Iranian-backed terrorist militias," stressing Saudi Arabia's "inherent right to defend itself and its national assets, while reserving the right to respond at the appropriate time and place." Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "in the strongest terms" the drone attacks launched by Iran-backed militias from inside Iraqi territory. The ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to protecting its security and sovereignty and asserted its right to respond to the sources of the attacks and deter those responsible. The ministry also called on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent its territory from being used as a launching point for attacks against Saudi Arabia, saying such steps are essential to preserving regional security and preventing similar attacks from recurring.
