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Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles and two drones
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said early Saturday it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis, with the missiles headed toward Khamis Mushait and the drones toward Riyadh.
Why it matters
Red Sea shipping lanes and Saudi oil export infrastructure are again under attack. The Houthis have been striking Saudi cities, energy facilities and shipping since declaring a naval blockade against the kingdom in July. With traffic through the Strait of Hormuz still largely blocked, renewed threats to the Red Sea alternative route add further pressure on global oil prices and inflation. Notably, the attacks came hours after the military chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey met in Riyadh to assess threats — the three signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement last month, treating an armed attack on any of them as an attack on all.
Full report
According to Reuters, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said in posts on X early on Saturday that it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis, with the missiles headed toward Khamis Mushait and the drones toward the capital, Riyadh. The coalition said it was monitoring the missile and drone threat against the kingdom, without providing further details.
Saudi civil defence sent alerts overnight for Khamis Mushait and Abha, but not for Riyadh. As of publication, the coalition has reported no casualties or damage, and the Houthis have not issued a statement on the interception.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said early on Saturday that he had affirmed with Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir in Riyadh continued joint efforts to confront attacks against the kingdom under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. The pact, signed last month by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and military cooperation.
Context: on Thursday (September 24), the coalition said it had intercepted six Houthi ballistic missiles fired toward Taif and the Yanbu area on the Red Sea. The Houthis later claimed missile and drone attacks on a "sensitive target" in Riyadh and on Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu, claims Riyadh has not confirmed. French President Emmanuel Macron announced on September 25 that France would deploy troops, radars and air-defence systems to protect Saudi Arabia's Yanbu oil terminal (previously reported by N-Globe on September 24).
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