Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia toward the Eastern Province on Sunday, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki announced the interception. It follows a continuous series of aerial threats targeting regions across the Kingdom since the beginning of November.
The military coalition has reported at least 15 ballistic and cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles intercepted or destroyed across the country this month. On Saturday, air defences destroyed a cruise missile launched toward the Riyadh Region. A day earlier, two ballistic missiles targeting Najran were intercepted, causing debris to fall while local authorities assessed potential damage.
Two drones were destroyed in the Riyadh and Makkah regions on Nov. 6. Earlier interceptions included a ballistic missile targeting the Madinah Region on Nov. 5, three drones directed toward the southern, Eastern and Makkah regions on Nov. 3, and two drones and a ballistic missile targeting Riyadh and the southern region on Nov. 2. The coalition also reported intercepting a drone and a ballistic missile aimed at the southern region on Nov. 1.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh previously suspended operations following attacks in October that killed and wounded civilians. Its closure was extended to allow for safety inspections before operations gradually resumed under strict restrictions. Several international airlines extended flight suspensions to Riyadh into November, while disruptions also affected airports in Dammam, Abha and Najran.
The renewed Houthi campaign coincides with the US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on Feb. 28 and has higher tensions throughout the Middle East. The Iran-aligned Houthis have expanded their attacks against Saudi targets as the wider confrontation has escalated, raising concerns over threats to civilian infrastructure, energy supplies and maritime shipping lanes.
On Nov. 1, Al-Maliki announced that coalition forces had conducted a precision operation to neutralise vital resources used by the Houthis to support their military activities, particularly their ballistic missile and drone programs. He stated that the group was exploiting those resources to sustain attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, as well as threaten maritime shipping in the southern Red Sea.
The coalition warned that it would continue taking operational measures to deter further attacks and protect the security of the Kingdom and the region.
