(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
ISTANBUL, Türkiye – The Saudi-led coalition announced Thursday, November 12, that its air defense forces intercepted and destroyed two drones allegedly launched by Yemen’s Houthi group toward separate locations in Saudi Arabia.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said in a statement posted on X that one drone was intercepted over the Riyadh region, while the second was destroyed over the kingdom’s Eastern Province.
Authorities did not immediately disclose additional information about the drones, their intended targets or whether the incidents resulted in casualties or property damage.
The interceptions came amid renewed hostilities in Yemen, where fighting between government forces and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement resumed in July following a period of relative calm.
According to United Nations reports, the renewed violence has left approximately 12,000 people dead or wounded, further aggravating the country’s humanitarian crisis.
The latest escalation ended a period of reduced hostilities that had largely prevailed since April 2022, raising concerns over continued displacement and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
Yemen has been gripped by conflict since September 2014, when Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, and expanded their control over several provinces.
In March 2015, a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched a military intervention in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Years of fighting have devastated the country’s infrastructure, displaced millions of residents and left large portions of the population dependent on humanitarian assistance.
