Kuwait oil sector heightens security after Saudi Aramco attacks

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait's oil sector is on high alert and has raised its security to the highest level as a precautionary measure in the wake of the weekend attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities, a Kuwaiti oil official said on Wednesday.

The oil-rich Gulf state has said it stands behind Saudi Arabia, condemning attacks last Saturday that struck the world's biggest crude oil processing facility.

Kuwait's armed forces said in a statement they had conducted air and naval drills on Wednesday as a measure to increase "combat readiness," a day after putting forces on high alert.

Citing a circular, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa reported that the country's oil sector was putting in place "all associated precautions" in line with the highest threat level.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have blamed the attack on Iran, which has denied responsibility. Saudi Arabia on Wednesday showed drone and missile debris it said amounted to undeniable evidence of Iranian aggression.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack and said on Wednesday they have dozens of sites in the United Arab Emirates, Riyadh's top Arab ally, listed as possible next targets.

(Reporting by Ahmed Hagagy and Rania El Gamal; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Hugh Lawson)

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