RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said its air defences detected and destroyed 13 drones over the country’s eastern region, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Saudi officials said the interception prevented any damage or casualties, underscoring how the broader Middle East conflict is increasingly drawing in neighboring countries and heightening security concerns across key energy-producing regions.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence Major General Turki Al-Malki said the unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted before reaching their intended targets.
The incident comes amid escalating tensions and intensified diplomatic activity across the Gulf and the wider region.
Saudi Arabia’s eastern region is home to some of the world’s most critical energy infrastructure. Even isolated air incidents carry outsised significance for global markets and regional stability.
Over recent weeks, attacks involving drones and missiles have been reported across multiple Gulf states. These incidents are part of a broader military confrontation linked to hostilities between Iran and a coalition including the United States and Israel.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia welcomed the unanimous adoption of a resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council addressing the human rights impact of what it described as unjustified Iranian attacks on countries across the region.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the Foreign Ministry said the resolution—adopted during the council’s 61st session—reflects a unified international stance rejecting the attacks and condemning them as serious violations of human rights.
The resolution refers to attacks targeting Saudi Arabia as well as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
“The Kingdom reiterates its condemnation of the Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, which constitute a flagrant violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a clear breach of international law,” the ministry said.
