Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and UAE Report Interception of Iranian Drones and Missiles

Washington — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates reported on Tuesday that their air defence systems successfully intercepted an attack involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missiles launched from Iran.

The Saudi Defence Ministry stated in a statement that two unmanned aircraft heading towards the Shaybah oil field in the south-eastern part of the country were shot down and destroyed.

In a separate post on social media platform X, the Saudi Defence Ministry said six ballistic missiles fired towards Prince Sultan Air Base were shot down by air defence systems. Another missile was intercepted in the eastern part of the country. Air defences also destroyed two drones in the eastern province of Hafar al-Batin.

The UAE Defence Ministry stated that its air defence system responded to incoming missiles and affirmed the country’s full readiness to confront all threats to protect its territory and ensure the safety of its citizens and residents.

Since the beginning of Iranian attacks on the country, authorities said they have detected 1,475 drones, destroyed 1,385 of them, with 90 others falling within UAE territory.

The Bahraini Ministry of Interior stated in its statement that sirens were activated due to the attacks and urged residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe location.

Regional escalation has intensified since Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Iran on 28 February, which killed more than 1,200 people and wounded more than 10,000 others.

Iran subsequently retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting US military assets across the region and several cities in Israel as an act of self-defence.