ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said Saturday it had intercepted and destroyed 51 drones in the kingdom's Eastern Province, as the country faced a sustained wave of aerial attacks overnight.

The ministry did not specify the source of the drones, but the country has previously condemned Iranian attacks targeting Arab countries as part of Tehran's retaliation against the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The attacks came amid the broader regional escalation since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with missiles and drones targeting Israel and US assets and interests across Arab countries. Several of those strikes have caused casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, drawing condemnation from targeted countries.