Saudi coalition intercepts ‘hostile drone’ in Riyadh as Yemen conflict widens

RIYADH, October 31 — The Saudi-led military coalition combating Yemen’s Houthis intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone in the Riyadh area on Saturday, announced Turki al-Malki, the spokesman for the coalition. Al-Malki informed via X that "debris from the interception fell without causing injuries", but did not reveal the entity that launched the drone.

In recent weeks, Yemen’s Iran-supported Houthis have intensified their assaults on Saudi Arabia, which encompasses launching lethal strikes on Riyadh airport, compelling its closure for a fortnight and cancelling major events – jeopardizing the kingdom's economic diversification initiatives. On Friday, al-Malki reported that the Houthis had targeted the Medina region, home to the second holiest city in Islam, although the group later refuted the accusation.

The Houthi assaults on Saudi oil infrastructure, airports, and vessels follow the resumption of hostilities in Yemen between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government, which Riyadh supports. Over 1,600 individuals have been killed and more than 275,000 displaced since the fighting escalated, according to United Nations data.

In July, the 2022 truce, which had been precarious, collapsed after the Houthis permitted an Iranian aircraft to land in Yemen’s capital Sanaa in defiance of Saudi authority over Yemeni airspace, sparking a series of attacks. Thereafter, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and commenced targeting its ships, territory, and oil facilities, before seizing Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast in a swift campaign. The Houthis have frequently reported Saudi airstrikes in areas they control as Riyadh retaliates.