Saudi coalition intercepts two Houthi missiles and three drones over the kingdom

RIYADH — The Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced early on Sunday that it had intercepted and destroyed two Houthi ballistic missiles targeting Khamis Mushait, along with three drones over the Riyadh and Eastern regions.

Coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki Al-Maliki said the missiles were launched by the Houthi militia toward Khamis Mushait in south-western Saudi Arabia, and that two drones were downed over the Riyadh region and another over the Eastern Province. The announcements were carried by the Saudi Press Agency on 18 October (Saudi Gazette; AFP via Gulf News).

Shortly before the announcement, Saudi Civil Defense issued “potential danger” alerts through its national early-warning system in Riyadh, Abha and Khamis Mushait, later announcing the danger had passed (Anadolu). AFP journalists in Riyadh received a mobile phone alert warning of a “hostile aerial threat”, which was lifted minutes later.

The interceptions followed a series of Houthi attacks on Saturday, when the coalition said it had intercepted four drones across Riyadh, the Eastern Province and the south, and destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Yemen’s Saada governorate. Fighting has escalated since July, and Egypt’s parliament is due to hold a session on possible Egyptian help in defending the kingdom (Japan Times).