Coalition intercepts and destroys three cruise missiles over Riyadh, south
Coalition spokesman says three cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed over Riyadh and the southern region.
Missiles and drones were intercepted near Riyadh following a Saudi-led coalition strike on a fuel depot in Yemen, according to the coalition's spokesperson. The coalition targeted the al-Sabaha facility belonging to the Yemen Petroleum Company near the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday night. Several projectiles aimed at Riyadh and other cities were thwarted by Saudi forces.
The Houthis threatened to strike Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, as well as Aramco's refinery in the capital and headquarters in Dammam. After the coalition strike, explosions were heard across Riyadh and other cities, with four missiles and two drones intercepted, according to Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki. Shrapnel fell in a residential area in Dhahran.
The Saudi cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stated that the Iran-backed Houthis would "bear the consequences" of their recent deadly attacks. Thirteen people were killed when a missile hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, and another person was killed in a similar attack the following day.
The coalition had also destroyed three drones north of Riyadh on Tuesday. The Houthis retaliated for Saudi strikes on territory they control in western Yemen, including Sanaa, warning of attacks on airports, oil and gas facilities, and military bases. The Yemen Petroleum Company sought to reassure residents by stating that the al-Sabaha facility does not contain any petroleum products and that precautionary measures were taken to ensure supply stability.
The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the internationally-recognized government from Sanaa. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to restore the government's rule, but the peace process unraveled in July when the Houthis imposed a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and the displacement of over 216,000 individuals since August.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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