RIYADH — The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced early Friday that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi group toward the Saudi capital, Riyadh, according to a statement posted on X by coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki. The missile was shot down shortly after 4 a.m.
Earlier, at around 1 a.m., air defenses intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by the Houthis toward the southern region, Al-Maliki said.
Loud explosions were heard in Riyadh early Friday, while residents received alerts on their mobile phones. Saudi Civil Defense issued warnings through the night and early morning — not only in the capital but also in the southwestern cities of Najran, Abha and Khamis Mushayt — urging citizens to remain indoors and stay away from windows. No casualties were reported from the interceptions.
The Houthis gave a competing account. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed in a video statement on X that the group had carried out attacks on four targets, including the Saudi Ministry of Defence in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport, an Aramco facility in Yanbu and Abha International Airport. The coalition says the threats were intercepted before reaching their targets.
The attacks come amid a sharp escalation. Coalition figures show the Houthis launched at least 14 ballistic missiles and more than 60 armed drones targeting the Kingdom during October, including a deadly Oct. 10 strike between Terminals 3 and 4 of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport that killed 13 people and wounded 309, according to coalition and Saudi Press Agency figures.