ISTANBUL

The Saudi Defense Ministry said Wednesday that air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 13 drones over Riyadh and the Eastern Province on Wednesday, as regional escalation continued to spike since the outbreak of the Iran war.

The ministry, however, did not give any details about possible injuries or damage.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.