Saudi Coalition Says Three Missiles Intercepted as Riyadh Residents Told to Shelter

The Saudi Arabia-led military coalition said it intercepted and destroyed three missiles aimed at the kingdom on Tuesday, including two directed towards the capital, Riyadh. Major-General Turki al-Maliki, the coalition’s spokesperson, attributed the attacks to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, who did not immediately comment on the announcement.

In posts on X, al-Maliki said the weapons brought down over Riyadh were a ballistic missile and a cruise missile. A separate ballistic missile was intercepted over southern Saudi Arabia. The announcements came as the coalition continues its involvement in the fighting in Yemen.

AFP reported that several explosions were heard in Riyadh. Residents were sent mobile phone messages telling them to seek shelter because of an aerial threat. The country’s civil defence agency later issued another message informing residents that the danger was over.

The missile attacks followed a strike on Monday against the East-West oil pipeline in the Medina region. A Saudi Energy Ministry official told the state-run SPA news agency that the attack started a small fire, which was put out, and that the pipeline continued operating without disruption. No deaths or injuries were reported.

The East-West pipeline provides a vital route for Saudi oil exports amid restrictions imposed by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war against Iran. It has been targeted several times as the war on Iran drives a global energy crisis. Monday’s strike added to the attacks on that export route.

The Houthis had also announced on Sunday that they struck Riyadh’s business district. Saudi authorities said debris falling from an attempted attack caused minor damage to the Aramco Tower. Their account described damage from the debris rather than a direct strike on the building.

Photographs distributed by SPA showed damage on several floors of the tower. The images also showed the deputy governor of the Riyadh region visiting the building with other officials to inspect it following the incident.

The attacks come against the backdrop of fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is supported by Riyadh. Coalition aircraft have carried out strikes in support of a government offensive to recover territory. The Houthis, meanwhile, have repeatedly used missiles and drones to target Saudi oil infrastructure, including refineries and storage sites.