Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that it intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at an airbase hosting US military personnel, as regional tensions continued to rise following the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
The Saudi Defence Ministry said the missile was launched toward Prince Sultan Airbase, located southeast of the capital Riyadh. According to a statement posted on X, Saudi air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed the missile before it reached its target.
In a separate incident, Saudi authorities also reported intercepting several drones targeting a major oil facility. The official Saudi Press Agency quoted a defence ministry spokesperson as saying that six drones aimed at the Shaybah oil field near the United Arab Emirates border were detected and destroyed.
The attacks come amid growing military exchanges in the region. Iran has carried out missile and drone strikes against Israel and several Gulf locations since the conflict escalated following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on February 28.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has already reported multiple drone threats this week. Earlier incidents targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery in the country’s eastern region, one of the most important energy facilities in the kingdom.
Saudi authorities said air defense systems remain on high alert to protect critical infrastructure and military installations.
