Saudi Arabia’s air defense systems intercepted and destroyed multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen on Tuesday, as tensions in the region continued to escalate. The attacks targeted key areas including the capital Riyadh, as well as Abha, Najran, Khamis Mushayt, and the Eastern Region.
Two ballistic missiles were intercepted over Riyadh, where shrapnel from the damaged projectiles struck a building, a construction site, and a vehicle. Despite the property damage, no casualties were reported. Earlier in the day, three ballistic missiles aimed at the Eastern Region were also destroyed, according to the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen. Additionally, four drones launched toward southern Saudi Arabia were shot down, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki confirmed.
The military activity followed a recent development in regional alliances. On Monday, Egypt’s parliament approved a decision authorizing the country to provide defensive military support to Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. This move was sharply condemned by Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the militia’s political bureau, who described the decision as "a declaration of war." He also criticized the Makkah mutual defense pact signed in August between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye, under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, asserting that the Houthis remain undeterred by such alliances.
Meanwhile, intense fighting persisted in Yemen, particularly along the Red Sea coast and near the Houthi-besieged city of Taiz. At least 60 Houthi fighters were reported killed in clashes that reignited following airstrikes late Monday, marking the fiercest confrontations since the group’s rapid territorial gains last month against the Saudi-backed government forces. Government sources indicated that Saudi Arabia conducted dozens of airstrikes on Mayyun Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, as well as in Dhubab and Mokha, with ground forces making advances in the contested areas.
In a related development, Human Rights Watch accused the Houthis of potentially committing a war crime by destroying the last main road into Taiz. The damages to the commercial supply route further threaten civilians already facing severe shortages of basic necessities including food, water, medicine, and fuel, the organization stated. It emphasized that the intentional destruction of the road may constitute a violation of the laws of war.