Saudi says it shot down more drones

Officials said on July 28, 2026 that Saudi air defenses shot down drones launched from Iraqi territory for a second consecutive day, and that intercepts took place over southern airspace.

Drones fired from Iraqi territory

Officials said the strikes followed earlier launches attributed to Iran-backed militias operating across the Iraq–Saudi border. Houthi officials said separately that their forces had turned back an attack targeting a commercial tanker in waters near Yemen; the two accounts describe parallel incidents rather than the same engagement.

Houthis report tanker repelled

Houthi officials described the tanker action as a defensive measure and said the vessel altered course after the attempted approach. Officials in Riyadh attributed the drone launches to militia groups that Washington and regional partners have long accused of receiving support from Iran; those linkages were restated by officials but are not independently verified here.

Regional risks and immediate steps

The incidents increase pressure on shipping through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab by raising the risk premium for insurers and operators, officials said. Naval patrols and commercial reroutes are possible in the coming days; watch for further official statements or operational changes by July 30, 2026.