Coalition intercepts Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Tuesday it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Houthi forces toward Riyadh, after explosions were reported across the Saudi capital.

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said the missile was “intercepted and destroyed”, with spokesman Maj Gen Turki Al-Maliki announcing the interception in a post on X, Arab News reported.

Saudi Civil Defense said on X it had lifted a security alert issued in Riyadh warning of a possible aerial threat. Earlier, explosions were heard in the capital after Saudi Arabia’s National Early Warning Platform issued an alert, Arab Times reported. Civil Defense urged residents to follow safety instructions, and there was no immediate official information on the cause of the reported blasts or on any casualties or damage.

The interception is the latest in a wave of Houthi attacks on the kingdom. On Sunday the coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed two Houthi ballistic missiles aimed at Khamis Mushait as well as drones over Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and on Friday it said it had downed a ballistic missile over Yanbu, two cruise missiles over the Red Sea and three drones over southern Saudi Arabia and Riyadh, according to Gulf News and Channel News Asia.

Since Yemen’s civil war flared back to life in July, the Houthis have repeatedly struck Saudi targets, Channel News Asia reported.