Saudi Arabia Blames Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias as Houthis Claim Drone Strike on Oil Supply Route

Saudi Arabia has escalated its accusations against Iran-backed armed groups after the Ministry of Defense announced it had intercepted drones launched from Iraqi territory, while the Houthi movement later claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting Saudi oil infrastructure.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraq toward oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh. Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki stated that the attack was carried out by Iran-backed terrorist militias operating from Iraqi territory, adding that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to respond at the appropriate time and place.

Hours later, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement strongly condemning the attack, describing it as an assault carried out by Iran-backed militias in Iraq. The ministry reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s determination to defend its security and sovereignty and called on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad for attacks against the Kingdom.

The developments followed an earlier exclusive report by Sheba Intelligence, which revealed that coalition airstrikes on Yemen’s Kamaran Island had reportedly killed several Iranian and Iraqi military experts at a Houthi operations center. Sheba Intelligence had first disclosed the existence of the operations room on Kamaran, which was reportedly used to coordinate military planning and support Red Sea attacks. The following day, coalition strikes targeted the site, and Sheba Intelligence later reported that Iraqi and Iranian experts were among those killed.

Approximately seven hours after Sheba Intelligence published the identities of those reportedly killed, Saudi Arabia announced the interception of drones launched from Iraq, creating a sequence of events that places the Iraqi front within the broader regional escalation surrounding Yemen.

The picture became more significant after the Houthi military spokesman announced responsibility for a separate drone operation, claiming that Houthi forces had targeted oil supply and transportation infrastructure extending from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu using multiple drones.

The latest developments also coincide with another recent Sheba Intelligence report revealing Houthi preparations for a new wave of attacks in the Red Sea. According to intelligence sources cited by Sheba Intelligence, the group had been making operational preparations for renewed maritime attacks, including the deployment of drones and other capabilities targeting shipping lanes. The Houthi claim of responsibility for the latest drone operation against Saudi oil infrastructure, together with the reported Iraqi-launched drone attack, suggests that these developments may form part of a broader regional escalation involving multiple Iran-aligned actors operating across interconnected fronts.