Saudi Arabia defends against drone strikes from ‘Iran-backed’ groups - Al Jazeera

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Saudi authorities and Reuters, reported that Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones aimed at oil facilities in the kingdom’s eastern province and in Riyadh on Monday, July 27. The Saudi Foreign Ministry attributed the attack to Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and said the kingdom retained the right to respond. Separately, Yemen’s Houthi movement said it had struck Saudi crude oil transport infrastructure, though Al Jazeera reported it was not clear whether the incidents were connected.

The reported attacks came during a pause in direct hostilities between the United States and Iran, after two weeks of fighting and as mediators suggested negotiations could resume. According to Al Jazeera’s framing, the drone activity in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere may indicate that Iran or affiliated groups are probing Washington’s revised posture, even as Iran has said it has halted attacks on US allies in the Gulf.

Jordan and Iraq also reported drone-related incidents the same day. Jordan said it downed two drones, while Iraqi security sources reported strikes on camps in northern Iraq housing Iranian-Kurdish opposition fighters. The source of those attacks was not identified in the report. Al Jazeera noted that Jordan and northern Iraq had been locations where four US service members were killed during the recent conflict.

Iraq said it was investigating Saudi Arabia’s assertion that drones had been launched from Iraqi territory. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Iraq would not permit its land to be used for attacks on neighboring states. The episode adds pressure on Baghdad after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported similar drone interceptions in May, raising renewed concerns over Iraq’s ability to control Iran-aligned factions.