ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Al-Kharj governorate, south of the capital Riyadh.

A Defense Ministry spokesman said debris from the interception fell near Prince Sultan Air Base, but no damage was reported.

Since early Wednesday, Saudi air defenses have intercepted and destroyed 13 drones in the Eastern Province, the spokesman added. The drones were shot down in separate incidents.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran 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.

The UAE has been the most targeted country, followed by Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, while Oman, which was involved in nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran before the war, recorded the lowest number of attacks.