RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s air defences on Friday intercepted and destroyed at least 22 Iranian drones on, the country’s defence ministry confirmed, as aerial attacks on Gulf nations persisted.
Spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defence, Major General Turki Al-Malki, said that several interceptions took place throughout the day.
In the Eastern Region alone, air defence units destroyed multiple drones in successive engagements, in a coordinated attempt to breach the kingdom’s airspace.
The ministry reported that four drones were intercepted in one incident, followed by two in another. Additional waves saw four more drones brought down, then five in a subsequent attack, and another five shortly after. A single drone was also intercepted in the northern Al-Jouf Region, while another was destroyed again over the Eastern Region.
Saudi officials did not report casualties or damage, emphasising the effectiveness of the kingdom’s air defence systems in neutraliaing the threats before they could reach their targets.
Meanwhile, the UAE’s Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems intercepted four ballistic missiles and 26 drones launched from Iran on Friday alone.
Officials added that since the start of the current escalation, the country has dealt with a total of 338 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and more than 1,700 drones—figures that underscore the scale and persistence of the threat.
In Kuwait, critical energy infrastructure was again targeted. The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation confirmed that its Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery came under drone attack, triggering fires in several units of the facility.
Elsewhere, in Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said debris from what it described as “Iranian aggression” ignited a fire at a warehouse. The blaze was quickly brought under control, with no casualties reported.
The latest attacks underscore the widening scope of the conflict, with critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf increasingly at risk and regional militaries on high alert.
