Saudi Arabia reports missile interceptions as Riyadh schools move online
Missile and drone interceptions reported by the Saudi-led coalition come as Houthi attacks disrupt civilian life and strikes in Yemen deepen a humanitarian crisis.
By Hassan Ellis ·
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted missiles directed at Riyadh and southern parts of the kingdom as continued Houthi attacks from Yemen prompted emergency measures. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis reported that its air defences had destroyed several incoming missiles. It also said a drone was intercepted over the country's oil-rich Eastern Province.
The fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, whose official name is Ansar Allah, has taken place daily in recent weeks. Its effects have extended to civilian life, with schools shifting to online lessons, businesses continuing remote work and air travel disrupted following an attack on Riyadh's airport.
Parents in Riyadh were informed on Monday that schools would move back to online classes from Tuesday, 10 November. The notification, seen by AFP, described the decision as part of continuing precautionary measures. It did not give a date for students to return to classrooms or say how long online teaching would remain in place.
On Tuesday, Riyadh residents received phone warnings instructing them to take shelter because of a threat from the air. It was the third day in a row that such alerts had been sent in the capital. The warning was withdrawn a few minutes after it was issued.
Many businesses have continued to operate through remote work. Flights were suspended after a deadly attack on Riyadh's airport on 11 October, although a limited number of services have since resumed. The Houthis have warned that most Saudi airspace should be considered unsafe.
Meanwhile, Saudi attacks in Yemen have worsened the country's humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people forcibly displaced. The Houthis said on their television channel on Monday that Saudi strikes on Sanaa over the weekend had killed at least 44 people, including 21 children.
The Sanaa-based Ministry of Health gave the casualty figures on the pro-Houthi Almasirah television channel. It said the strikes in the Alshariyah area of Bani Hushaysh, east of Sanaa, had left 44 people dead and another 40 wounded, bringing the total number of casualties to 84.
According to the ministry, 21 children and 10 women were among those killed in the strikes. It also said rescue teams were continuing to search for people who remained missing.
