Both political and non-political responses are possible, threatened Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan amidst increasing Iranian missile strikes across the region.
Saudi Arabia reserves the right to act militarily against Iran and any trust with Tehran has been shattered, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said early on Thursday, after Riyadh was targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles.
Farhan said on Thursday that Iran has not dealt with neighbors in the spirit of brotherhood, but rather with a "hostile view," adding that both political and non-political responses to Iran are possible. He gave the comments after a meeting of top diplomats from the region met in Riyadh.
What little trust the kingdom had in Iran before has been completely shattered, added Farhan, as he urged Iran to halt its support for proxies in the region.
He also said that any threat to freedom of navigation, referring to Iran's anti-ship cruise missile sites stationed along the Strait of Hormuz, requires collective action.
In the harshest comments to come out of the Gulf kingdom in nearly three weeks of war, Farhan accused Iran of premeditated hostile actions against its neighbors, both directly and via an array of regional proxies which he urged Tehran to reign in.
Farhan's remarks followed the latest round of Iranian missiles that were launched towards multiple targets in the Gulf, after Iran issued evacuation warnings on Wednesday for several oil facilities across the region.
Saudi Arabia's defense ministry said it had downed four ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh, and some debris fell near a refinery south of the city.
Drones approaching Iraqi sites intercepted
Later on Wednesday, Iraqi air defenses intercepted and shot down a drone approaching Baghdad Airport, security sources reported.
Additionally, drone attacks targeted an Iraqi naval force base near Umm Qasr Port. No casualties or damage were reported.
Missiles target Abu Dhabi Habshan gas facility, Bab oil field
Iranian missiles also targeted the Habshan gas facility and Bab oil field in Abu Dhabi and were successfully intercepted early on Thursday, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
Authorities reported two incidents of fallen debris following the interceptions.
Operations at the Habshan gas facility were suspended, said the media office, and no injuries were reported in the incident.
Missiles cause damage in Qatar
Additionally, Qatar's Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that ballistic missiles from Iran caused damage at Ras Laffan Industrial City, an industrial hub north of Doha that houses the country's core liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing operations.
Qatar's state oil giant QatarEnergy said that missile attacks caused "sizable fires" and extensive damage, while the UAE shut down its gas facilities.
"Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting damage with no reported casualties," it said in a statement.
It took a few hours for the fires to be extinguished completely, according to the interior ministry.
Saudi Aramco-Exxon refinery SAMREF in Saudi Arabia's Yanbu targeted
Later on Thursday morning, oil giant Saudi Aramco's SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu was targeted in an aerial attack, an industry source said, adding there was minimal impact.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Thursday issued an evacuation warning to several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, including SAMREF, which is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil.
Yanbu is currently the only export outlet for any crude oil out of Gulf Arab countries as Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway it shares with Oman, through which a fifth of the world's oil supply normally flows.
Saudi Aramco did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Drone attack sparks limited fire at Kuwait refinery
Also, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said one of the operational units at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery was hit on Thursday by a drone, resulting in a limited fire, state news agency KUNA reported.
Additionally, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation stated that another drone attack struck one of the operational units at the Mina Abdullah Refinery, causing another fire. Authorities confirmed that all necessary safety measures were implemented to protect workers and secure the facility.
No injuries were reported.
