A series of drone attacks struck Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq on Monday, raising fresh concerns that Iran is testing the limits of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pause a two-week military campaign against Tehran while pursuing diplomacy.
Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed drones targeting petroleum facilities, including sites near the capital, Riyadh. Riyadh accused Iran-backed armed groups operating from Iraqi territory of launching the drones and said it reserves the right to respond, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Separately, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for drone strikes targeting oil transport infrastructure linked to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu. The group said the attacks were retaliation for what it described as repeated Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace.
Jordan also reported shooting down two drones, while Iraqi security sources said several drone attacks occurred in northern Iraq. Authorities in both countries did not identify who launched the aircraft.
The incidents come just two days after Trump unexpectedly suspended a 13-night U.S. bombing campaign against Iran. According to a U.S. official, senior military commanders advised the president that the operation had reached the limits of its effectiveness, citing a shrinking list of viable targets and concerns over the depletion of air defense munitions.
Despite the pause, Trump said Washington remains engaged in “very deep talks with Iran” but warned that the United States is prepared to take “strong military action” if diplomacy fails.
“Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all,” Trump told Axios when asked how long he would allow negotiations to continue.
Iran has denied reports that it requested renewed talks with Washington. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said communication continues through mediators but insisted claims that Tehran sought negotiations were “fabricated.”
At the same time, Iranian state media reported that authorities turned back six vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without Tehran’s authorization, underscoring the ongoing dispute over navigation in one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.
The pause in U.S. military operations has eased immediate fears of a broader conflict, contributing to a sharp drop in oil prices. Brent crude fell more than 6% on Monday after surging above $100 per barrel during the recent escalation.
However, the latest drone attacks and continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz highlight the fragile nature of the current pause, with uncertainty remaining over whether diplomacy can prevent another round of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.