(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
ISTANBUL – Saudi air defense forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi group toward Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province early Thursday, according to the Saudi-led military coalition.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki confirmed the interception in a statement posted on social media platform X but did not provide further details on the incident or report any casualties or damage.
Before the interception was announced, Saudi Civil Defense issued an emergency warning to residents of the Eastern Province over an unspecified security threat.
Authorities later lifted the alert in both the Eastern Province and Najran after declaring the areas safe.
The latest incident followed another missile interception Wednesday, when the coalition reported destroying a Houthi ballistic missile targeting the western Saudi city of Taif.
Late Tuesday, debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles caused damage to a building, a construction site and a vehicle in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, according to Civil Defense officials.
No casualties were reported in connection with the Riyadh incident.
The successive missile attacks come amid escalating tensions between the Houthi group and the Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the Houthis since March 2015, following the group’s takeover of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and other territories in 2014.
The latest interceptions highlight continuing security threats in the region as hostilities between the two sides persist.
