Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missile aimed at Riyadh as blasts shake capital

Saudi forces intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh on Tuesday, coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki said. Civil defense issued a danger warning, and AFP journalists heard two blasts in the capital. The attack comes amid escalating Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia.

What happened when Saudi Arabia intercepted the Houthi missile?

The Saudi-led coalition said its forces destroyed the missile launched toward Riyadh. The National Early Warning Platform alerted residents to potential danger, and AFP journalists reported two blasts. A few minutes later, civil defense lifted the alert and said the danger had passed.

Al-Malki said the kingdom "intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Riyadh." The coalition backs Yemen's government in its war against the Houthis. Riyadh was shaken by two blasts, according to AFP journalists in the capital.

"A warning has been issued by the National Early Warning Platform in Riyadh City to alert for a potential danger," the Saudi civil defense said in a statement on X.

How serious have Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia become?

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have reached an unprecedented scale. They have forced the postponement of a major investment conference, a blow to Riyadh's hopes of attracting greater foreign capital and diversifying its economy.

The deadly attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis have also forced Riyadh airport to shut. The Saudi air force has regularly targeted the group in retaliation, amid fighting inside Yemen between the Houthis and the country's Riyadh-backed government.

How did the Saudi-Houthi truce collapse?

A fragile 2022 truce fell apart in July, after the Houthis allowed an Iranian plane to land in Yemen's capital Sanaa. The move defied Riyadh's control over Yemeni airspace and set off a spate of attacks.

The Houthis later declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began hitting its ships, territory, and oil facilities. In September, they uprooted Yemeni government forces from positions along the Red Sea coastline in a lightning campaign.