RIYAHD: Two people were killed and two others injured after Saudi air defences intercepted a drone attempting to target a facility at the Shaybah oilfield in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, the state news agency reported on Wednesday, citing an Energy Ministry official.
The two people killed were residents of Filipino and Nepali nationality, while the injured were Pakistani and Indian residents, Saudi newspaper Al Riyadh reported, citing the ministry source. The interception caused debris to fall, setting fire to a vehicle belonging to a contractor working at the oilfield. The vehicle was outside the facility’s perimeter, and the incident had no impact on operations, the official said.
The relevant authorities responded to the incident and took the necessary measures, according to the report. Shaybah, operated by state oil giant Saudi Aramco, is a major oilfield in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, near the border with the United Arab Emirates. It is located in the Rub al-Khali, or Empty Quarter, desert.
The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions and a renewed wave of attacks and attempted attacks involving Saudi energy infrastructure and other targets.
Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed attacks on Saudi energy and airport facilities earlier this week, but the claims had not been independently verified by Reuters. The group denied on Wednesday launching drones towards Medina or conducting military operations against Saudi Arabia. The Saudi authorities’ account of Wednesday’s incident did not identify those responsible for the drone attempt. –Agencies
