Saudi Arabia Intercepts Drones Near Airbase, Oil Refinery Targeted

Saudi Arabia's air defenses intercepted and destroyed five unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) near the Prince Sultan Air Base, according to a statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense.

Earlier on Monday, the Kingdom announced the interception of two drones that attempted to target the Ras Tanura refinery. Authorities confirmed the successful thwarting of the attack.

According to a Ministry of Defense spokesperson, no casualties were reported as a result of the interceptions. However, the interception caused debris to fall near civilian areas and civilians.

A limited fire broke out within the refinery due to falling debris but was quickly brought under control, the spokesperson added.

A source at the Saudi Ministry of Energy stated that at 7:04 a.m. local time, the Ras Tanura oil refinery sustained limited damage from shrapnel resulting from the interception of two drones in the vicinity of the refinery. This caused a small fire that was immediately dealt with by emergency teams, resulting in no injuries or deaths, the source confirmed.

As a precautionary measure, some operational units at the refinery were temporarily shut down. The source assured that the petroleum and derivative supplies to local markets were not affected.