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Saudi-led coalition says Houthi missile targeting Riyadh intercepted, destroyed
The statement said Houthi attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure in Baish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu on Saturday were also thwarted
- PUBLISHED: Sun 20 Sept 2026, 8:00 AM
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday that the Iran-backed group had fired a ballistic missile towards Riyadh at dawn.
In a statement issued on September 19, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki said Saudi air defence forces had intercepted and destroyed the missile fired towards the Saudi capital.
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The coalition said the Houthis had also attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Baish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, but the attacks were thwarted by air defence systems.
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It said the repeated attempts to target Riyadh, a city home to more than eight million residents, showed what it described as the Houthis’ 'deliberate and systematic targeting' of civilians and civilian infrastructure, which reflects 'hostile and terrorist' behaviour.
The coalition said it retained the right to take appropriate measures, in accordance with customary international humanitarian law, to deter further Houthi attacks.
Previous Houthi attacks
Less than a week ago, a series of Houthi attacks using ballistic missiles and drones wounded 13 civilians in southern Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi-led military coalition.
In a post on X, coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki said the Houthis targeted civilian sites in Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif on September 14. The attacks caused minor to moderate injuries to 13 civilians and damaged seven homes and two vehicles.
On September 13, Saudi authorities said a Houthi projectile wounded two people in Jazan, near the kingdom’s southern border with Yemen.
The Civil Defence Directorate said its teams in Al-Tuwal Governorate responded to the incident, which also caused damage to a mosque, several buildings and vehicles.
