Saudi Arabia said on Monday its air defences intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory that were targeting petroleum facilities, as Riyadh urged Baghdad to prevent attacks from being launched from its soil.

In a statement posted on social media, the Saudi defence ministry said the “terrorist attempts were launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by Iranian-backed terrorist militias.”

The ministry did not provide details on the number of drones intercepted, the targeted facilities or whether the attack caused any damage or casualties.

Separately, Saudi Arabia called on the Iraqi government to take action to prevent its territory from being used to launch attacks against the kingdom.

The kingdom “affirms the necessity for the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to ensure the prevention of the use of its territory as a launching point for aggression,” an official Saudi broadcaster said in a statement.

The statements come amid heightened regional tensions and renewed concerns over the security of critical energy infrastructure in the Gulf.