Riyadh — The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday evening that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed several drones attempting to target oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, marking the second such incident within 24 hours. Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the ministry, said the drones were launched from Iraqi territory by “Iran-backed terrorist militias.” He stressed that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to defend itself and respond “at the appropriate time and place.” The announcement follows a similar statement on Monday, when the ministry reported intercepting drones aimed at oil facilities in both the Eastern Province and Riyadh. Iran-backed Houthi militias had previously claimed responsibility for attacks on infrastructure linked to the transport of crude oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to the port of Yanbu.