Air defenses intercept Houthi cruise and ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced on Tuesday that it had successfully intercepted and destroyed two missiles launched by Houthi rebels, targeting Riyadh. This comes amidst ongoing tensions between the kingdom and the Iran-aligned Houthis. According to the coalition, its air defenses destroyed a ballistic missile and a cruise missile aimed at the Saudi capital.

Earlier, Saudi Civil Defence had issued an early warning alert for Riyadh, which was later clarified by the coalition to indicate that the threat had passed. In a related development, the coalition also claimed the destruction of a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia's southern region. Earlier, Civil Defence had issued warnings for the southwestern cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait, only for the coalition to later confirm that the danger had subsided.

Southern Saudi Arabia, bordering Yemen, has been frequently targeted by Houthi missile and drone attacks on military installations and energy facilities. The conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed coalition intensified following the Houthis' recent advance in September towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping route located at the southern end of the Red Sea, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis have intensified their attacks on Saudi airspace, ports, and oil facilities in response to the broader US-Israeli war against Iran, while Saudi Arabia has retaliated with airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.