Iraq probes Saudi claim drones launched from its territory targeted oil facilities

Iraq said it would investigate Saudi Arabia’s claim that drones launched from Iraqi territory had targeted the kingdom, including oil facilities, after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered security authorities to look into the allegation.

Government spokesman Sabah al-Numan said Zaidi directed “the competent security authorities” to investigate the Saudi defence ministry statement about drones that Riyadh said were launched from Iraq.

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said its forces intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraq by Iran-backed groups. It said the drones were aimed at petroleum facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia and targets near Riyadh. A statement carried by an official Saudi broadcaster called on Baghdad to prevent Iraqi territory from being used to launch attacks against the kingdom.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella network of Iran-backed Shia militias operating outside Iraq’s formal military structure, rejected the Saudi accusation. It called the claims “fabrications” and said they were an attempt to justify what it described as Saudi Arabia’s inability to respond to Yemeni strikes.

The group also warned Riyadh that any “foolish action” in Iraq would be met with a “tough” response.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels separately said on Monday that they had launched drone attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said drones targeted “sensitive” sites and infrastructure used to transport crude oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu on the Red Sea.

The supplied reports did not establish whether the Houthi claim referred to the same drones that Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted.