Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], March 7 (ANI): Saudi air defences successfully neutralised a fresh wave of aerial assaults targeting the strategic Shaybah oil field early Saturday, Arab News cited the Ministry of Defence.
Ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said on X that 16 drones, launched in four separate waves, were intercepted and destroyed over the Empty Quarter as they tracked toward the energy facility. He also confirmed the interception and destruction of a ballistic missile and a cruise missile aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj.
Another drone was downed east of Riyadh, marking the third consecutive day of attempted strikes on Al-Kharj, a major industrial hub about 80 kilometres from the capital.
The attempt on Shaybah was the first since Feb. 28, following the start of a large US-Israeli air campaign against Iran. The escalation has led to retaliatory strikes from Tehran against various Gulf targets, including industrial and oil infrastructure.
Shaybah, located deep within the Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter), is one of the Kingdom’s “super-giant” fields and a central element of Saudi Arabia’s gas strategy, using a high-tech recovery plant to supply natural gas liquids to the petrochemical sector.
Regional aerial threats have surged: Arab News reported that within the last 24 hours the UAE intercepted over 125 drones and six ballistic missiles. On Friday, Saudi defences thwarted five missiles headed for Prince Sultan Air Base and multiple drones across Riyadh and Al-Kharj.
These attacks persist despite condemnation from international bodies, including the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. At an extraordinary ministerial meeting in Riyadh on March 1, the Gulf Cooperation Council said member states have a collective right to defend their territories against “treacherous Iranian aggression.” After a Cabinet session led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 3, Saudi Arabia said it reserves the “full right” to respond and will take necessary measures to protect its territory, citizens and residents. (ANI)
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