Riyadh, March 7 — Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed 16 unmanned aerial vehicles that were headed toward the Shaybah oil field early Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said.
Ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki wrote on X that the drones came in four separate waves and were shot down over the Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter) as they tracked toward the energy complex. He also reported the interception and destruction of a ballistic missile and a cruise missile fired at Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj.
Authorities downed an additional drone east of Riyadh, marking the third straight day of attempted strikes on Al-Kharj, an industrial hub about 80 kilometres from the capital.
The Shaybah attempt was the first since Feb. 28, coming amid heightened regional tensions following a large US-Israeli air campaign against Iran. Iran has carried out retaliatory strikes in the Gulf region in recent weeks, targeting various industrial and oil facilities.
Shaybah lies deep within the Empty Quarter and is one of Saudi Arabia’s super-giant hydrocarbon fields. It includes a high-technology recovery plant that supplies natural gas liquids to the kingdom’s petrochemical sector and is central to Saudi gas strategy.
Regional aerial threats have increased sharply. Arab News reported that, within the past 24 hours, the United Arab Emirates intercepted more than 125 drones and six ballistic missiles. On Friday, Saudi air defences also thwarted five missiles aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base and shot down multiple drones over Riyadh and Al-Kharj.
International and regional bodies have condemned the strikes. At an extraordinary GCC ministerial meeting in Riyadh on March 1, Gulf states asserted their collective right to defend their territories against what they called Iranian aggression. Following a March 3 Cabinet session chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia said it reserves the right to respond and will take necessary measures to protect its territory, citizens and residents.
Officials continue to monitor security across the kingdom and the broader Gulf as tensions persist and air-defence systems remain on heightened alert.
