Saudi Arabia says it shoots down additional drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second consecutive day, according to statements attributed to the kingdom’s Defence Ministry. The reported drone activity is described as part of ongoing regional tensions tied to conflicts involving Iran-aligned groups. At the same time, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claim they force a Saudi oil tanker to turn around. The claim is presented by the Houthis as part of their self-styled blockade of Saudi Arabia.
The reports note that the latest incidents occur amid a broader regional shift in tone, with mention of a period of relative calm and reduced announcements of attacks by the United States and Iran following weeks of escalation involving shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz. While Saudi and Houthi accounts describe different elements of the same broader confrontation—airborne attacks attributed to Iraq-based militias and maritime disruption claims by Yemen-based forces—neither side’s assertions are independently verified in the provided accounts.
