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The Saudi Press Agency reported that Major General Turki Al-Malki, official spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, stated a ballistic missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militia toward the capital had been intercepted and destroyed north of Riyadh. Al-Malki confirmed that coalition intelligence systems had identified the launch platform over Sanaa and that it would be targeted for destruction. The development represents the latest exchange in the ongoing cross-border attacks that have persisted since the coalition’s intervention in Yemen in 2015.
A day earlier on October 6, the coalition announced the interception of another ballistic missile aimed at Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia, according to a report by Asharq Al-Awsat that cited the same spokesperson. That incident occurred as Houthi forces have intensified operations amid a counteroffensive by Yemeni government troops in coastal regions. Residents in Riyadh reported hearing explosions on both Monday and Tuesday, an AFP dispatch from the capital noted.
The Houthis claimed on Monday to have struck Riyadh’s main airport as well as an Aramco refinery, though Saudi authorities have not confirmed any damage from those assertions, according to an Al Jazeera compilation of statements from Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree. In response to the latest interception, the coalition has reiterated that Sanaa, Saada and Amran provinces serve as primary origins for such missile launches. Al-Malki had previously emphasized the coalition’s right to respond proportionately under international humanitarian law.
United Nations Security Council members issued a statement in September condemning Houthi attacks on Saudi territory in the strongest terms and affirming the kingdom’s right to self-defense, a position referenced in coalition communications carried by Sabq. The Iran-backed group has launched dozens of strikes in recent weeks targeting areas including Al-Jawf, Marib and Taiz governorates within Yemen, according to Saree’s updates on Telegram. These actions coincide with ground advances that pro-government forces are attempting to reverse along the Red Sea coast.
No casualties or material damage were reported from the latest missile interception north of Riyadh, consistent with the outcome of the Khamis Mushait incident the prior day. The coalition has maintained air defense vigilance across multiple Saudi regions, including Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, where prior Houthi attempts were also neutralized. Al-Malki said the coalition would continue monitoring and neutralizing ballistic and surface-to-surface missile threats along with their launch sources.
Public alerts sounded in Riyadh during the Tuesday incident marked one of several such warnings in the capital since escalation intensified in July, an AFP correspondent reported from the city. The pattern reflects sustained Houthi efforts to target both military and civilian infrastructure, according to repeated coalition assessments. Saudi civil aviation authorities separately noted minor injuries from airport-related attacks the previous night in Najran and Jazan.
