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Saudi Defenses Intercept Houthi Missile Over Riyadh
Confirmed
In Short: Saudi Arabia's air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh early Saturday morning, according to the Saudi-led coalition.
The missile was part of a broader wave of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, which the coalition said were aimed at civilian areas and infrastructure in several cities, including Baysh, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu.
Residents in Riyadh heard explosions and Saudi Civil Defense issued warnings, but no damage was reported from the interception.
The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Malki, said the attack represented a continued escalation by the Houthis and accused the group of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian objects.
Al-Malki added that Saudi air defenses thwarted attempts to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in multiple locations, emphasizing the coalition's right to take appropriate measures to deter further attacks.
Jordan and Bahrain condemned the attacks, expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia and supporting Riyadh's measures to protect its sovereignty and citizens.
The UN Security Council also warned of the consequences of the Houthi attacks, noting the threats posed to international navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Lebanon and Kuwait also condemned the attacks, stressing their full solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
The conflict in Yemen, where the Saudi-led coalition entered in 2015 following the Houthi seizure of Sanaa, continues to escalate, with cross-border missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi urban centers and critical infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia relies on advanced multi-layered air defense systems, including Patriot missile batteries, to shield major cities and key installations from aerial strikes.
The coalition said it reserves the right to take appropriate measures in accordance with customary international humanitarian law to deter further Houthi attacks.
What this adds
Saudi authorities have not confirmed that the fire at the fuel depot near the airport was caused by a successful Houthi strike.
The Houthis claimed their operations were successful, but the coalition said all attacks were thwarted.
The attack on Riyadh marked the first reported Houthi missile strike targeting the capital since the latest escalation began in July.
Background
The Saudi-led coalition forces fighting Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday that the Iran-backed group fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh, which was intercepted and destroyed by the coalition’s air defences.
What's confirmed
- The Saudi-led coalition confirmed that a Houthi ballistic missile had been fired toward Riyadh at dawn and said Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed it.
- According to the coalition, Saudi defenses also thwarted attempted Houthi attacks targeting civilian areas and infrastructure in Baysh, Taif, the Farasan Islands and Yanbu.
- On Thursday, Saudi authorities said falling debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident and wounded two others in Taif.
- Al-Maliki said the Coalition Command reserves the right to take appropriate measures in accordance with customary international humanitarian law to deter further Houthi attacks.
- RIYADH — The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia toward Riyadh at dawn on Saturday, Sept.
What's still developing
- Earlier Saturday, Saudi Civil Defense issued aerial threat warnings in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, southeast of the capital, before later announcing that the danger had passed.
- An AFP journalist at the scene reported that firefighters extinguished a blaze involving a fuel tank bearing the Saudi Aramco logo at a fuel depot near the airport.
- According to Saree, one operation targeted what he described as "sensitive sites" in Riyadh, while another targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
- Saudi authorities have not publicly established that the fire was caused by a successful Houthi strike.
- Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later claimed responsibility for a large-scale operation against Saudi Arabia, saying the organization had used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
- The Houthis claimed that the operations were successful.
- Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Fouad Al-Majali said Saturday that Amman had “absolute” solidarity with Saudi Arabia and supported measures taken by Riyadh to protect its sovereignty, security, stability and citizens, Anadolu Agency reported.
- The Houthis later said they had “foiled” what they described as “criminal attempts” allegedly carried out by Saudi Arabia in Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
- Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the missile was successfully intercepted before reaching the Saudi capital.
- Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings to residents of Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj overnight, with the all-clear given on Saturday morning.
- In a separate statement, he said GCC states stood united with Saudi Arabia and supported measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- The breadth of the Gulf response underlined concern that the Houthi campaign is moving beyond isolated attacks into a wider threat to Saudi civilian, economic and energy infrastructure.
Sources
- Israel National Newslink
- Latest news from Azerbaijanlink
- Sada Elbalad englishlink
- Saudi Gazettelink
- The Media Linelink
- TradeArabialink
- Yemen Onlinelink
- geosirius.ifz.rulink
- Newsweeklink
- Nypostlink
- Englishlink
- Chinadailyasialink
- WarpBeat — background on Saudi-led Coalition Intercepts Houthi Missile in Riyadh link
- Mint — video link