Saudi Arabia intercepts 12 drones targeting Shaybah oilfield

ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia said Monday evening that its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 12 drones targeting an oilfield in the country’s south.

A Defense Ministry statement said the drones were shot down in Rub' al-Khali (Empty Desert Quarter) as they targeted the Shaybah oilfield in southern Saudi Arabia.

The ministry said in a later statement that nine drones heading toward the Shaybah oil field had been intercepted and destroyed.

The new interceptions brought the number of drones shot down by Saudi air defenses on Monday to 23.

Regional escalation flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people so far, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian authorities.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.