Saudi-led coalition says defences intercept Houthi missile fired at Riyadh

Saudi-led coalition forces reported that a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement at dawn was intercepted and destroyed before reaching Riyadh. The coalition’s spokesman, Major-General Turki al-Maliki, said Houthi attempts to strike civilians and infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu were also blocked by Saudi air defences. Saudi authorities issued a series of emergency alerts across the kingdom overnight and warned of a "hostile aerial threat." Residents near Riyadh’s airport reported hearing at least one explosion and seeing a large plume of black smoke later in the morning; officials said there were no casualties or damage. The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on "sensitive" sites in Riyadh and for striking an Aramco facility in Yanbu, saying they used cruise and ballistic missiles as well as drones, according to a statement carried by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree. Analysts cited by Al Jazeera, including Yasmeen al-Eryani of the Sana'a Center, said the group appears to be setting the pace and scale of escalation. On the ground in Yemen, fighting continues to intensify. Forces aligned with the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government said they repelled a Houthi infiltration in the al-Fuliahan area of southern Marib, reporting 12 Houthi fighters killed. Separately, the army said 13 Yemeni soldiers were killed over two days of clashes in Taiz and Lahj. Renewed confrontations have been reported across Marib, Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf and al-Bayda since an escalation that began in early July, described as the most intense since a 2022 truce. Observers note that military options against the Houthis are constrained by Yemen’s mountainous terrain, which complicates efforts to seize and hold key positions. Analysts say containment rather than outright military defeat may be the more feasible short-term objective given the geographic and operational challenges.