WASHINGTON 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Tuesday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and condemned Iran’s ongoing attacks on Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Tuesday.

“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed how to reinforce Saudi Arabia’s defense as Iran continues its baseless aggression against civilian targets,” said the statement.

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said earlier that its defense systems intercepted attacks involving drones and ballistic missiles launched from Iran.

Regional escalation has intensified since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, reportedly killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls and senior military officials.

Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israeli cities and locations hosting US military assets across the region, raising fears of a broader Middle East conflict.