March 03, 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, condemning the recent attacks on the Kingdom and stressing the urgent need to restore peace and stability in West Asia.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said he discussed the evolving regional situation with the Saudi leader and strongly denounced the attacks as a violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both sides agreed that restoring regional peace at the earliest was critical. Modi also thanked the Crown Prince for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia during the current tensions.
The conversation came hours after Saudi authorities confirmed that the Ras Tanura oil refinery sustained limited damage following debris from the interception of two drones in its vicinity.According to the Saudi Press Agency, an official from the Ministry of Energy said the debris caused a minor fire, which was quickly contained by emergency response teams. No casualties were reported. As a precaution, some operational units at the refinery were temporarily shut down. Authorities clarified that petroleum supplies to domestic markets remain unaffected.
Earlier, on February 28, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as Iranian attacks targeting the Riyadh Region and the Eastern Province. The Kingdom said the projectiles were successfully intercepted and rejected the strikes as unjustified aggression. Riyadh stated it was prepared to take all necessary measures to defend its territory, citizens and residents.
The flare-up comes amid a broader escalation in West Asia following joint US-Israel strikes on Iran, reportedly aimed at degrading Tehran’s missile capabilities and military infrastructure. The initial phase of the operation reportedly killed senior Iranian leadership figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, prompting a large-scale retaliatory response from Iran involving drone and missile attacks on US assets and regional targets.
The rapidly unfolding developments have heightened security concerns across the Gulf, with global powers closely monitoring the situation.-IANS
