The key facts

  • The coalition reported intercepting a Houthi cruise missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia
  • The day before, two ballistic missiles heading for Riyadh were intercepted
  • The Houthis claimed six attacks, including on oil infrastructure facilities and airports

Interception and preceding attacks

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen announced on Friday morning that its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile launched by the Houthi group toward western Saudi Arabia. The interception was announced by the coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki in his statement (Anadolu).

The situation over the past two days

The incident occurred against the backdrop of an escalation between the coalition and the Houthis: both sides have reported military operations and attacks in recent days. On Thursday, the coalition said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles launched toward the capital, Riyadh. The same day, the Houthis announced six attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia, including oil infrastructure facilities and airports.

Context of the conflict

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition has been involved in the Yemen conflict since March 2015, supporting the internationally recognized government against the Houthis, who seized the country's capital, Sanaa, in September 2014. The material is based on a report from a single outlet; the source provides no independent assessment of the scale of the attacks or their impact on infrastructure.