RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed five missiles and five drones aimed at different targets in the Kingdom on Friday, the Ministry of Defense announced in separate posts on X.
The Kingdom intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile near the central Al-Kharj area on Friday evening, the ministry said.
The attack followed a number of attempted strikes earlier in the day.
In its first post shortly after midnight, the ministry said three ballistic missiles were launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj governorate. In subsequent posts, the ministry said one drone was shot down in the Eastern Province and another in Al-Kharj. Early in the morning, the ministry announced that a cruise missile was also intercepted in Al-Kharj followed by four drones in the eastern Riyadh region.
Friday's barrage followed the interception of three cruise missiles targeting Al-Kharj, just hours after a drone attack was stopped over the Ras Tanura refinery in the Eastern Province. Al-Kharj is an important industrial zone located approximately 80 kilometers southeast of the national capital, Riyadh city.
On March 3, Saudi defenses successfully intercepted eight drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj. The US Embassy in Riyadh was struck by drones on the same day, causing a limited fire and minor structural damage. Despite the site being hit, Iran’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, categorically denied his country’s involvement during a statement on Thursday.
This latest escalation follows a massive air campaign launched by Israel and the United States against Iran last Saturday, which has triggered a wave of retaliatory strikes by Tehran against regional assets.
The conflict, which escalated dramatically on February 28, 2026, has expanded far beyond the Kingdom’s borders. All GCC member states have reported aggression, with Iranian strikes in the Gulf region claimed to have killed at least nine people.
The maritime sector has been severely crippled; a missile strike on a commercial vessel off Oman has contributed to a backlog of 150 tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, where oil traffic has plummeted by 86%.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia issued a sharp condemnation on Thursday following Iranian drone and missile attacks on Azerbaijan and NATO-protected Turkish airspace, calling the acts "blatant and cowardly."
In an extraordinary ministerial meeting held in Riyadh on March 1, the GCC affirmed the collective right of member states to defend their territories against "treacherous Iranian aggression."
Following a Cabinet session chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 3, Saudi Arabia declared it reserves the "full right" to respond. The Cabinet underscored that the Kingdom will take all necessary measures to safeguard its territory, citizens, and residents from these persistent strikes.
