Arab News | Saudi defenses intercept Houthi missiles targeting Riyadh, southern regions

RIYADH: Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed cruise and ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi militia toward Riyadh and the southern regions, the coalition said on Sunday.

Two cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed in the Riyadh and southern regions, while two ballistic missiles targeting the capital were also destroyed, coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said, the latest in a series of aerial threats targeting several Saudi regions since the beginning of November.

Earlier, the Saudi air defenses also intercepted a missile targeting the Eastern Province.

The Saudi Civil Defense earlier issued alert warnings of potential danger in Riyadh City and Najran Provice, but lifted them shortly afterwards. The authority also raised warnings on Buqayq and Al-Ahsa Governorates and Dammam City but lifted them immediately after the danger has passed.

The coalition has reported at least 15 ballistic and cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles intercepted or destroyed across the Kingdom this month.

On Saturday, air defenses destroyed a cruise missile launched toward Riyadh Region. A day earlier, two ballistic missiles targeting Najran were intercepted, with debris falling and authorities assessing possible damage. Two drones were also destroyed in Riyadh and Makkah regions on Nov. 6.

Other interceptions included a ballistic missile targeting 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.

Airport attacks disrupt air travel

The latest attacks follow a series of Houthi strikes on Saudi airports, energy facilities and other infrastructure that have caused significant disruption to civilian aviation.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh suspended operations following attacks in October that killed and wounded civilians. Its closure was extended to allow safety inspections before operations gradually resumed under restrictions.

Several international airlines extended suspensions of services to Riyadh into November, while disruptions also affected airports in Dammam, Abha and Najran.

Attacks linked to wider regional conflict

The renewed Houthi campaign comes amid the US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on Feb. 28 and has intensified tensions across 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 neutralize vital resources used by the Houthis to support their military activities, particularly their ballistic missile and drone programs.

He said 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.