Saudi coalition says Houthi missile launch toward Riyadh was intercepted
Saudi officials said a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels toward the capital was intercepted, with no casualties reported, and added that attempts on other Saudi sites were also thwarted.
Saudi Arabia's coalition forces announced on Saturday that a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels toward Riyadh was intercepted, marking the first reported attempt to strike the capital since the conflict escalated. Residents in the city heard an explosion and observed smoke near the airport, but authorities reported no injuries or damage.
The coalition also said the Houthis attempted attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port of Yanbu, as well as in Taif, Baysh and Farasan, but these were likewise prevented. The Houthi military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed the group used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones, and alleged that Saudi Arabia had recently targeted the rebel-held city of Sanaa, though no details were provided.
Earlier, the Houthis asserted they had hit "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and facilities of Saudi oil company Aramco in Yanbu, causing "massive fires," but the company did not comment and no independent verification was available.
The incident follows a series of recent escalations, including a drone strike that Saudi civil defense said killed a Yemeni resident and a reported attempt to attack Mecca, which the Houthis denied. The United States, a close ally of Saudi Arabia, indicated it is not currently engaged in combat with the Houthis. Regional officials said Saudi missile-defense stocks are low and that the kingdom has sought air-defense assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt.
In Yemen, fighting has intensified between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government, with the rebels recently capturing the port city of Mokha and islands near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, enhancing their ability to monitor maritime traffic in the Red Sea.