Houthi attacks target Riyadh and Saudi Arabia

Houthi attacks target Riyadh and Saudi Arabia

The Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday that it intercepted several drones and ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi group, including attacks targeting the Riyadh area.

The latest strikes come amid a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks since July, when renewed fighting ended a years-long period of relative calm in Yemen and drew the country further into the wider Middle East conflict.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned the escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying previous strikes had injured civilians, including women and children.

A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said Saudi air defences destroyed two drones launched toward the Riyadh area. The kingdom also intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at Khamis Mushait, a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia that hosts a major air base.

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemned the latest attacks, describing them as a violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and a threat to civilian safety and regional stability.

Albudaiwi urged the international community to take a firm position against the attacks and hold the Houthis accountable.

The renewed hostilities have added to tensions across the region, with Houthi attacks affecting shipping and energy infrastructure and raising concerns over the wider security situation.