July 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq that attempted to target oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and Riyadh, the Saudi Defence Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry said the drones were launched by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack against the kingdom, reaffirming its right to respond to the sources of “the aggression” and deter those responsible.
The ministry called on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent Iraqi territory from being used as a launchpad for attacks against Saudi Arabia.
Iraq’s prime minister ordered an investigation into the incident, his media office said Monday evening, adding Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against neighbouring countries.
(Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly, Yasmine Ghania and Eman Abouhassira, Editing by Louise Heavens, Alexandra Hudson and Chizu Nomiyama )
