Saudi-led coalition forces fighting Yemen’s Houthis stated on Sunday that air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh. Turki al-Maliki, the coalition spokesperson, announced the interception on social media early on Sunday, attributing the launches to the Houthis.
Earlier on Saturday, al-Maliki reported that two suspected Houthi drones were intercepted and destroyed in the Riyadh and southern regions. Saudi authorities said at least 26 people have been killed in suspected Houthi drone and missile attacks within the kingdom since September 23.
The Houthis have frequently targeted vital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the East-West pipeline, and oil facilities in the country’s eastern and southern regions. The US Embassy in Riyadh issued a nationwide security alert on Saturday, advising American citizens in the kingdom to exercise vigilance.
The embassy warned that Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure had caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. Hostilities could spread rapidly, the mission cautioned, urging extreme caution for anyone using airports in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, intense fighting has spread across multiple front lines in Yemen. Forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government reported intercepting several drones launched toward the Yemeni city of Marib.
Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, a Yemeni army spokesperson, stated that government forces achieved gains against the Houthis during heavy battles in the al-Hazm and Madghal districts of al-Jawf governorate. Al-Nuzaili claimed that 321 Houthi leaders were killed or wounded in 723 targeted operations across the Taiz, Lahij, Marib, and al-Jawf governorates, while 117 military vehicles belonging to the rebel group were destroyed.
Al-Nuzaili said the coalition conducted at least 37 air strikes, 56 drone attacks, and 541 artillery strikes. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the Saudi-led coalition launched 72 air strikes against Houthi positions in the Saada, Taiz, Lahij, and al-Jawf governorates within a 24-hour period.
Saree said Houthi fighters targeted Saudi-backed government forces in the Kharaz area of Lahij governorate using ballistic missiles. Houthi-aligned media reported that artillery shelling by Saudi-backed forces struck a residential neighbourhood in the Shuaub district of the capital, Sanaa, injuring two women and two children.
The International Organization for Migration reported that more than 340,000 people have been displaced due to renewed fighting in Yemen since August.
