BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Updated: 

Saudi Arabia says that it has intercepted three drones that “‌entered ⁠its territory from Iraqi ⁠airspace,” the country’s defense ministry said in a Sunday evening post to X/Twitter.

The attack follows a drone attack in the area of Abu Dhabi’s Barakah nuclear plant on Sunday. The two attacks could be connected, although it is too early to tell.

Saudi Arabia’s Arab News noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s “defense ministry spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki ⁠said that ‌it would ‌take the necessary ‌operational ‌measures to respond to ‌any attempt to violate its ⁠sovereignty ⁠and security.”

The report went on to say that “Al-Maliki added it will also take action to ensure the safety of citizens and residents on Saudi territory. While ‌hostilities during ‌the Iran conflict have largely been scaled down since ‌a ceasefire came into effect ⁠in ⁠April, drones have been launched from Iraq towards Gulf countries.”

The context here is that there is supposed to be a ceasefire with Iran. However, in recent days, there have been rumors of renewed conflict. Therefore, it’s possible that Iranian-backed proxies, such as militias in Iraq, are preparing new attacks and testing new routes for their drones.

FILE PHOTO: Vehicles move along a road as smoke billows from Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery after a reported Iranian drone strike, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, March 2, 2026.
FILE PHOTO: Vehicles move along a road as smoke billows from Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery after a reported Iranian drone strike, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, March 2, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/STRINGER/FILE PHOTO)
The militias in Iraq, who are usually called the Popular Mobilization Forces or Hashd al-Shaabi, have been on alert in the last week due to claims in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times about Israel using two sites in Iraq as temporary airstrips. The pro-Iranian militias have claimed to be patrolling the southern desert in Iraq near the Saudi border. This would position them to carry out drone attacks from the safety of the large desert south of Najaf.

Saudi Arabia condemns drone attack on UAE

Meanwhile, “Saudi Arabia has condemned a drone attack that targeted an electricity generator in the UAE located outside the perimeter of the Barakah nuclear energy plant in the Al-Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi,” Arab News noted.

“The Foreign Ministry said the attack threatens regional security and stability, and expressed its solidarity with the UAE and support for all measures to preserve its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

There is widespread condemnation of the attack from Kuwait, Bahrain, and other countries.

“Kuwait said targeting peaceful nuclear energy facilities is a clear violation of international law and poses a risk to civilians, the environment, and security,” the report said. The UAE has also condemned the drone attack on Saudi Arabia, according to the UAE’s Al-Ain media.