Saudi coalition says it intercepted Houthi drones heading for Riyadh

Early Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels towards the kingdom. The missiles were targeted at Khamis Mushait, while the drones were aimed at Riyadh, according to the coalition's statement on X. The coalition continued to monitor the missile threat and drone attacks against the kingdom, providing no additional details.

The Saudi civil defense had issued alerts overnight for Khamis Mushait and Abha, but not for Riyadh. The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous areas and northern regions, have been launching attacks on Saudi Arabia since declaring a maritime blockade in July. Their strikes have targeted Saudi cities, energy infrastructure, and shipping routes, exacerbating global oil supply pressures resulting from the US-Israeli war on Iran and posing risks to the Red Sea route for Gulf exports.

The Red Sea remains largely blocked, while the Strait of Hormuz remains largely controlled. GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi strongly condemned the Houthi missile and drone attacks against Riyadh and Khamis Mushait, calling it a serious breach of Saudi sovereignty and a direct threat to civilians' safety and regional stability.

Al Budaiwi urged the international community to take a firm stance against repeated Houthi attacks. Earlier, Saudi military chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey discussed threats facing the kingdom at a meeting in Riyadh. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by the three countries last month, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and military cooperation.

If any member state were to face an armed attack, the pact would consider it an attack on all. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in Riyadh to discuss joint efforts to counter attacks against the kingdom, in line with the agreement.