Saudi-led coalition says it intercepts three Houthi ballistic missiles

What the report says

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government said it intercepted three ballistic missiles it blamed on Yemen’s Houthi movement. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said two missiles were headed toward Riyadh and one toward Khamis Mushait, near the Yemen border, on Thursday. Saudi civil defence later said falling debris from one intercepted missile caused material damage in Riyadh, including to a kindergarten and a medical clinic complex, though it did not report casualties.

The Houthis gave a different account. Their military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the group fired a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and claimed it struck its target and disrupted air traffic. Witnesses told The Associated Press they heard explosions in the Saudi capital, including near the airport, but Al Jazeera said it could not independently verify those reports.

The episode comes amid a recent increase in cross-border attacks and warnings from the Houthis for airlines to avoid Saudi airspace. Al Jazeera also noted that Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport were hit in separate attacks claimed earlier in the week, with Saudi aviation authorities saying civilians were killed and injured.

Separately, the report said fighting is intensifying inside Yemen, especially around Taiz and other areas, while the International Organization for Migration said more than 200,000 people have been displaced in recent weeks as the conflict worsens.