Saudi Arabia downs missiles fired at Riyadh after Houthi attack on pipeline

What the report says

Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted missiles aimed at Riyadh and the country’s southern region, shortly after reporting a separate attack on a key east-west oil pipeline. The Saudi-led coalition, which is fighting Yemen’s Houthi movement, said on Tuesday that it destroyed a ballistic missile and a cruise missile over the capital, as well as another ballistic missile in the south. Major-General Turki al-Maliki, the coalition’s spokesperson, blamed the Iran-backed Houthis for the attacks. Al Jazeera reported that residents in Riyadh heard explosions and received emergency text alerts telling them to take shelter before civil defence later said the danger had passed.

The latest incident came amid a wider pattern of cross-border strikes linked to the Yemen war. Saudi Arabia has backed the internationally recognised Yemeni government against the Houthis, while the Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi energy facilities with drones and missiles, according to the report. On Monday, Saudi officials said an attack on the Medina-region section of the East-West pipeline caused a small fire that was quickly extinguished and did not disrupt operations.

The pipeline is strategically important because it helps move Saudi oil exports when shipping lanes are under pressure. Al Jazeera also noted earlier Houthi claims of an attack on Riyadh’s business district, after Saudi officials reported minor damage to the Aramco Tower from falling debris. No injuries or deaths were reported in the incidents described.