Muhammed Semiz
19 March 2026•Update: 19 March 2026
ISTANBUL
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said Thursday that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed five Iranian drones launched toward the capital Riyadh and eastern parts of the country.
The country earlier said that it shot down 13 Iranian drones and a ballistic missile launched from Iran.
Meanwhile, Bahrain's Interior Ministry sounded warning sirens and urged residents to move to the nearest safe areas.
A regional escalation has intensified since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.
