Saudi Arabia intercepts drone near Riyadh, destroys two missiles

Saudi Arabia's military coalition has announced that it intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Riyadh region,

Saudi Arabia’s military coalition has announced that it intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Riyadh region, while two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi group towards Taif and Yanbu were also intercepted.

According to the coalition, the drone was destroyed before it could reach its intended target. The two ballistic missiles were reportedly heading towards the western Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu when they were intercepted by air defence systems.

Meanwhile, security alerts issued over potential threats in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif were lifted shortly after being activated. The alerts had raised concerns about possible security threats in the affected areas, although authorities did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the warnings.

In a separate development, Yemen’s Houthi group denied reports that it had launched attacks targeting Makkah and Madinah. The denial came amid heightened security concerns following reports of aerial threats against Saudi territory.

The reported interceptions and subsequent security alerts have drawn attention to the regional security situation, particularly amid concerns about the potential expansion of hostilities and threats to major Saudi cities.

Makkah and Madinah hold exceptional religious significance for Muslims worldwide. Any reported threat involving the two holy cities is therefore likely to attract widespread attention across the Muslim world.

Separately, Saudi authorities have announced changes to flight operations at Riyadh Airport, with Terminal 1 designated for domestic flights and Terminal 2 allocated for international services, effective today.

The reallocation is intended to separate domestic and international passenger operations between the two terminals. Passengers travelling through Riyadh Airport are advised to check their flight details and confirm the relevant terminal with their airlines before departure.

The developments come as Saudi Arabia continues to monitor potential security threats while managing air travel operations. Further details about the intercepted projectiles and the circumstances surrounding the security alerts were not immediately available.