Air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh and three drones over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern region, the Saudi-led coalition stated on Sunday, as a dramatic escalation in Yemen triggered fresh civilian displacement and a nationwide security alert.
The latest interception marks a sharp intensification in hostilities across the Arabian Peninsula. More than 340,000 Yemenis have been displaced since August, according to figures released by the International Organization for Migration.
“Air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards Riyadh,” coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said in a post on X, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Fragments of the destroyed projectiles fell in the village of Sabouha within the Makkah region, according to the Saudi Civil Defense, as detailed by Arab News. The wider conflict has left roughly 12,000 people dead or wounded since fighting renewed in July, ending a period of relative calm that began in April 2022, TRT World reported.
On the ground, fighting has intensified heavily in Yemen’s Marib and al-Jawf governorates. Yemeni army spokesman Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili said that government forces made key territorial gains in the al-Hazm and Madghal districts.
Al-Nuzaili reported that 321 Houthi leaders were killed or wounded in 723 targeted operations across Taiz, Lahij, Marib, and al-Jawf. He added that coalition forces destroyed 117 military vehicles used by the rebel group.
Meanwhile, the Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group shot down an armed Saudi coalition reconnaissance aircraft in al-Jawf airspace. “repel a number of Saudi military formations using several Yemeni-made surface-to-air missiles” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a post on X, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The conflict has exacted a heavy toll on civilians over successive months. At least 26 people have died in suspected Houthi drone and missile strikes inside Saudi Arabia since September 23, kingdom authorities reported.
In response to the mounting aerial attacks on airports, oil infrastructure, and the East-West pipeline, the US Embassy in Riyadh issued a nationwide security alert on Saturday. The embassy urged American citizens to exercise heightened vigilance, warning that travel disruptions could spread rapidly.
Humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate in urban centres. Houthi-affiliated media reported that two women and two children sustained injuries from artillery shelling in Sanaa’s Shuaub district.
| Governorate / Region | Reported Incidents & Operations | Casualties & Damage Cited |
|---|---|---|
| Riyadh & Eastern Region | Ballistic missiles and drone interceptions | Administrative building damage; debris in Makkah |
| Marib & al-Jawf | Intense ground fighting and air strikes | 321 Houthi leaders casualties; 117 vehicles destroyed |
| Nationwide (Saudi Arabia) | Attacks since September 23 | At least 26 people killed |
The International Organization for Migration verified that more than 340,000 Yemenis have fled their homes since August as military operations grind forward across multiple fronts.
