Saudi Crown Prince, India PM discuss regional escalation, condemn attacks on Kingdom
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the latest regional developments during a phone call on Saturday.
Repercussions of the ongoing military escalation on global and regional security and stability and risks to international maritime security and the global economy were also discussed during the call, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Mr. Modi reiterated his country’s condemnation of repeated Iranian attacks that threaten the Kingdom’s security and sovereignty, SPA added.
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Missile Targeting Riyadh as Iran Attacks on Gulf Neighbors Continue
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia said Saturday it had intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the Riyadh region.
“A ballistic missile fired in the direction of the Riyadh region was intercepted and destroyed,” the Ministry of Defense wrote on X in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The interception was the latest amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Earlier on Friday the ministry said it shot down a number of other missiles and drones targeting the Saudi capital.
Six ballistic missiles were launched toward the Riyadh region, the ministry said shortly before midday, with two of them intercepted and the other four falling into the Arabian Gulf or uninhabited areas.
More than 10 drones also targeted Riyadh since midnight Friday. All were intercepted and destroyed by the Kingdom’s air defenses.
In total, the defense ministry has reported 740 drone attacks in the Kingdom since Feb. 28, plus 54 ballistic missiles and seven cruise missiles, most of which were intercepted and destroyed.
The UAE said its air defenses were responding to an incoming missile and drone attack from Iran early Saturday, as Tehran pressed strikes in the Gulf a month into the regional war.
A government statement said forces were “intercepting cruise missiles and UAVs (drones)” fired from Iran.
Three fires broke out in the vicinity of Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi after debris from an intercepted missile fell on the area, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. Six individuals—five Indians and one Pakistani—sustained moderate to minor injuries, authorities said. The fires have been controlled and authorities are now continuing cooling operations.
UAE air defenses have engaged 378 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,835 drones since the Iranian attacks started.
A worker was injured in a drone attack on Oman’s Salalah port while a crane suffered limited damage, Oman’s government said on Saturday. Container shipping group Maersk has halted its operations at the port for approximately 48 hours, it said, following the security incident. Oman had served as a mediator between the United States and Iran before the current war. Agencies
