Baghdad to probe Saudi claim of drone attack coming from Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called on Monday for an investigation into Saudi Arabia's claim that drones targeting its territory had been launched by pro-Iran groups in Iraq, his spokesman said.

Zaidi directed "the competent security authorities to investigate the statement issued by the ministry of defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the targeting of the kingdom with drones launched from Iraqi territory", spokesman Sabah al-Numan said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry announced earlier on Monday that it intercepted drones launched from Iraq targeting oil facilities in the Eastern Province and the Riyadh region, accusing Iran-backed groups of launching the attacks.

On the same day, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen announced they had launched drones targeting oil infrastructure across the kingdom, the world's largest crude oil exporter.

The developments came despite the relative calm that has prevailed since Friday night in the war between Iran and the United States, following 13 consecutive days of fighting between the two sides.

In a statement, the Saudi Defense Ministry said that "air defenses intercepted and destroyed a number of drones over the past few hours that attempted to target oil facilities in the Eastern Province and the Riyadh region."

It added that "these terrorist attempts were launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by Iran-affiliated terrorist militias."

Following the outbreak of the Middle East war, which began with a joint US-‘Israeli’ attack on Iran on February 28, Riyadh had previously announced intercepting drones that entered Saudi airspace from Iraq.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry called on the Iraqi government to prevent its territory from being used to launch attacks against the kingdom.

The ministry said it "strongly condemns the attacks carried out by drones launched by Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq."

It also affirmed "Saudi Arabia's right to respond to the sources of aggression," stressing that the Iraqi government must take all necessary measures to ensure its territory is not used as a launchpad for attacks.

Iran-backed groups in Iraq have not claimed responsibility for any attacks since hostilities resumed between the United States and Iran on July 7.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states had previously accused these groups of carrying out attacks against them after the regional war began.

In May, Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry announced it had intercepted three drones that entered the kingdom's airspace from Iraq.

On the same day, the United Arab Emirates said a drone crossed into its airspace from the "western border direction" and struck an electricity generator near a nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi.