Saudi Arabia downs Iran-backed drones as West Asia conflict risks escalation

3 min readNew DelhiJul 27, 2026 07:42 PM IST An explosion at the Sanaa International Airport compound during what the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said were several Saudi airstrikes in Sanaa. (AP Photo)Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry on Monday said that its military shot down drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq that allegedly had targeted Riyadh’s petroleum facilities, highlighting the risk that tensions could ignite a new front of conflict in West Asia. A statement by the Saudi Defence Ministry posted on social media didn’t detail any casualties or damage in the incident. Riyadh’s foreign ministry stated that “it reserves the right to respond” after an alleged attack from an Iran-backed Iraqi armed group, Reuters reported.“Saudi Arabia reserves its legitimate right to de