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The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen reported the successful interceptions through its spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Malki. Saudi air defenses destroyed the two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi group toward the capital, preventing any impact on the ground. The statement emphasized the defensive measures in place across the kingdom as threats from Yemen continue. No immediate details emerged on the precise launch sites within Houthi-controlled areas.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, which distributed the coalition statement, air defenses also neutralized two cruise missiles in the Riyadh region and farther south. Al-Malki identified the Iran-aligned Houthi militia as responsible for all four launches on Sunday. The interceptions formed part of a coordinated response that included civil defense alerts in affected zones before the all-clear was issued.
Earlier that same day, the coalition said air defenses had destroyed a ballistic missile aimed at the Eastern Province. Saudi Civil Defense activated warnings in cities such as Dammam, Dhahran, Buqayq and Al-Hofuf through the National Early Warning Platform. Authorities confirmed the threat had passed after the interception, with no reports of damage or injuries from that incident.
The Saudi-led coalition first entered the Yemen conflict in 2015 to back the internationally recognized government after the Houthis seized Sanaa. A UN-brokered truce agreed in 2022 had largely held until fighting resumed in July, shattering the pause in major operations. The Houthis have since launched repeated missile and drone strikes on Saudi airports, ports and energy sites while the coalition has conducted airstrikes in Yemen.
Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry said Saudi airstrikes the previous day killed at least 33 people near Sanaa, though Saudi authorities stated they were investigating those claims. The latest interceptions fit a pattern of frequent defensive actions reported by the coalition throughout October and early November. Coalition statements have consistently described the Houthi launches as terrorist acts targeting civilian and infrastructure locations.
Regional media outlets have noted that the Yemen fighting now forms one element of a broader Middle East escalation that followed strikes on Iran in February. The Saudi Press Agency has carried multiple updates on interceptions in recent weeks, each attributed directly to Al-Malki. Officials continue to stress that the operations aim to safeguard Saudi territory from cross-border attacks.
