Saudi Arabia destroys drone targeting oilfield in country’s south

Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter Desert) targeting the Shaybah oilfield in southern Saudi Arabia, the Defense Ministry said Sunday evening.

A ministry spokesman said on the US social media company X that the drone was shot down in the desert area before reaching its target.

Footage released by the ministry showed Saudi air defense systems intercepting and destroying several drones launched toward the Kingdom in recent days.

Earlier, the Saudi Civil Defense said that "a military projectile" fell on a residential site belonging to a maintenance and cleaning company in Al-Kharj Governorate in central Saudi Arabia, killing two residents of Indian and Bangladeshi nationality, while 12 Bangladeshi residents were injured.

Regional escalation flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and injuring over 10,000 others, according to Iranian authorities.

Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.