"Intercepted 2 Drones": Saudi Says Houthis Attacked Riyadh Again

Saudi-led coalition confirmed on Saturday intercepting two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting Saudi Arabia. The missiles were aimed at Khamis Mushait, while drones were heading towards Riyadh. The coalition is monitoring the ongoing threat, though no further details were provided. Saudi civil defense issued alerts for Khamis Mushait and Abha overnight, but not for Riyadh.

Houthi rebels, who control major parts of Yemen and northern regions, have been launching attacks on Saudi Arabia since declaring a maritime blockade in July, targeting cities, energy infrastructure, and shipping. These attacks have exacerbated pressure on global oil supplies due to the US-Israeli war on Iran and posed risks to Red Sea and Hormuz routes for Gulf exports.

GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi strongly condemned the Houthi missile and drone attacks on Riyadh and Khamis Mushait, calling the escalation a serious violation of the kingdom's sovereignty and a direct threat to civilian safety and regional stability. He urged the international community to take a firm stance against repeated Houthi attacks.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia's military chiefs of staff, along with their Pakistani and Turkish counterparts, reviewed threats to the kingdom at a meeting in Riyadh. The GCC member states, including Saudi Arabia, expressed unity and support for Saudi Arabia's measures to safeguard its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to discuss joint efforts to counter attacks against the kingdom under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

The three nations signed the agreement last month, pledging to regard an armed attack on any of them as an attack on all, aiming to strengthen collective deterrence and military cooperation. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned that any attack on the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah would be a "red line" and urged unity against such threats, emphasizing that no Muslim would dare commit such a heinous crime.

Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council head, Rashad Al Alimi, announced a general mobilisation against Houthi rebels, calling on Yemenis to join the armed forces and contribute to the struggle for power.