RIYADH: A major oil port and Aramco residential area were attacked with a drone and ballistic missile in eastern Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
A “petroleum tank farm” at Ras Tanura Port, one of the largest oil shipping ports in the world, was attacked with a drone in the morning, the energy ministry said. The drone was coming from the direction of the sea.
In the evening, shrapnel from a ballistic missile fell near Saudi Aramco’s residential area in Dhahran where thousands of the company’s local and international employees and their families live.
No one was injured and no property damaged in either attack.
“The Kingdom condemns and criminalizes such repeated acts of sabotage and hostility,” a ministry spokesman said. “The Kingdom calls on nations and organizations of the world to stand together against these attacks, which are aimed at civilian objects and vital installations.
“Such acts of sabotage do not only target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but also the security and stability of energy supplies to the world, and therefore, the global economy. They affect the security of petroleum exports, freedom of world trade, and maritime traffic.”
The defense ministry said both the drone and the missile were intercepted and destroyed.
As the missile targeting the Aramco site was shot down, it “resulted in scattered debris that fell in close proximity to civilians and civilian objects,” ministry spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki said.
He said the ministry would take all measures to safeguard the nation’s assets “in a manner that preserves the security of global energy, puts an end to these acts of terrorism, guarantees the security and stability of oil supplies, protects security of petroleum exports and safeguards freedom of shipping and international trade.”
The attacks come after the Arab coalition said it had launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen after a wave of drone attacks.
The Iran-backed militia had fired 12 explosives laden drones and two missiles. The missiles targeted Jazan in south-west Saudi Arabia, about 50 kilometers from the Yemen border.
Saudi oil port and Aramco residential area targeted by drone, missile
https://arab.news/yxwgy
Saudi oil port and Aramco residential area targeted by drone, missile
- Energy ministry says Ras Tanura Port was targeted by a drone coming from the sea
- Shrapnel from a ballistic missile fell near Saudi Aramco’s residential area in Dhahran
Saudi Arabia, Estonia strengthen cyber defense cooperation
- Renowned for its leadership in digital governance, Estonia sees cybersecurity as central to its partnership potential with Saudi Arabia, building on years of regional engagement through its technology firms
RIYADH: Estonia aims to deepen defense, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence cooperation with Saudi Arabia as both nations look to advance technology‑driven defense and cybersecurity capabilities.
Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s minister of defense, told Arab News at the World Defense Show in Riyadh on Monday that Estonia’s defense industry is eager to contribute to the Kingdom’s fast‑growing defense ecosystem.
“In the modern world, cooperation built on trust and technology is the best defense,” he said. “It is important for us to be here because we clearly see there is a possibility to increase cooperation, not only bilaterally between Saudi Arabia and Estonia, but across the region.”
At Estonia’s pavilion, a cooperation agreement was signed between an Estonian company and a Saudi firm during the show, he noted.
Pevkur also said Estonia’s defense sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by technological innovation and partnership.
“Our defense industry is growing very rapidly, and we continue to see strong momentum,” he said.
He said Estonia’s strengths lie in digital and smart‑system integration rather than large‑scale weapons production.
“We will not build airplanes or tanks, but what we can do is integrate robotics, automation and drones to make existing systems smarter,” he said.
The minister said effective defense collaboration must link businesses and governments to achieve meaningful results.
“When we want to have real cooperation, we need it on all levels,” he said. “The biggest client for any defense company is the government, so we must treat this as one ecosystem where the public and private sectors work hand in hand.”
Renowned for its leadership in digital governance, Estonia sees cybersecurity as central to its partnership potential with Saudi Arabia, building on years of regional engagement through its technology firms.
Pevkur said several Estonian companies, including Nortal, have already assisted Gulf governments in developing open IT and digital‑service systems.
“As the most digitalized nation in the world, almost every service in Estonia can be done online, except getting married,” he said. “But with such digitalization, we also need strong cyberdefense.”
He said data protection and digital resilience are treated as matters of national sovereignty in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
“Data is what we own. When someone steals that data, it becomes a serious threat,” he added. “That is why cyberdefense is not just about technology, it is about trust, sovereignty and protection.”
Pevkur said Saudi Arabia’s advances in AI offer promising opportunities for collaboration.
“I know that Saudi Arabia is doing great work when it comes to AI,” he said. “For us, as a small country with limited human resources, AI is essential not just for defense but for everyday life.”
Pevkur added that Estonia has launched a national AI strategy to promote responsible development and closer coordination between government and industry. One Estonian company, he said, has developed a system that allows a single operator to control hundreds of drones through AI.
“It is quite easy to put a weapon into the hands of a robot, but we also need to define who is accountable for its actions,” he said.
“The big question for the future is whether we can allow a war to be fought entirely by AI, or if humans must always make the final ethical decisions.”
He said in his conclusion that governments must reach a common understanding on how AI will be used and regulated on the battlefield.
