Saudi Arabia's interior minister today ordered security measures strengthened along its borders and across the kingdom, including at oil facilities, as Riyadh led air strikes against Shiite rebels in neighbouring Yemen.
The minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, vowed that the OPEC kingpin will "act firmly" against any attempts to undermine the kingdom's security, according to a statement published by the official SPA news agency.
The statement came after Nayef chaired a meeting of security chiefs to discuss "developments in light of the military operations" in Yemen and "security measures needed to face them," it said.
Nayef ordered the "strengthening of all security measures along the kingdom's borders and at all public, oil and industrial facilities."
Saudi Arabia is the world's top oil exporter and has borders with Yemen, where its warplanes began an offensive overnight against the Shiite Huthi rebels, backed by Iran which lies just across the Gulf.
Riyadh is also taking part in the US-led coalition carrying out strikes against the Islamic State group, which has seized territories in Syria and Iraq.
The kingdom on Thursday halted flights at seven airports near the Yemeni border.
