Saudi Arabia says its forces destroyed 3 drones targeting Shaybah oil field

​​​​ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia said Thursday that its forces destroyed three drones targeting the Shaybah oil field.

The Defense Ministry said the country’s air defenses also intercepted two drones heading toward the eastern region and one drone toward the embassy area in the capital Riyadh.

Earlier, Saudi Arabian authorities said 18 drones targeting the eastern part of the country were intercepted.

The developments came as a regional escalation has flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28 that has so far killed more than 1,200 people, including Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and injured over 10,000 others, according to Iranian authorities.

Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.