Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it intercepted and destroyed multiple drones launched by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, marking the kingdom’s first direct military response to such attacks originating from Iraq since the collapse of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire. According to the Saudi Defense Ministry, the drones targeted petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province as well as areas near Riyadh. The ministry described the attacks as “terrorist attempts” originating from Iraqi territory and carried out by militias affiliated with Iran, leading Saudi officials to call on Baghdad to prevent its land from being used as a launchpad for missile strikes.

This incident signals an escalation for Saudi Arabia amid increasing regional tensions. It coincides with recent moves by Houthi rebels based in Yemen, who declared a blockade against Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical global shipping route. On the same day, the Houthis claimed to have targeted crude oil supplies and key transportation routes linking Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu with several drones. As of Monday, the Saudi Defense Ministry had not publicly responded to the Houthi claim.

The Houthi movement forms part of Iran’s broader “axis of resistance,” which also includes Iraqi militias, Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The unfolding violence has added strain to an already volatile regional landscape. On Monday, both Jordan and Israel reported intercepting drones near their borders. Israeli authorities stated that two drones had been shot down close to the Jordanian border, and an investigation was underway to determine their origin.

The recent attacks follow a two-week period during which Iran targeted sites across Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan in retaliation to daily U.S. air raids. The Pentagon recently paused its bombing campaign after 13 consecutive nights, and over the past 48 hours, there have been no new reports of Iranian attacks on neighboring states. The situation remains fluid as regional actors navigate the escalating conflict.