Key Takeaways
- Saudi-led coalition intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by Houthi rebels.
- The attacks targeted Khamis Mushait and Riyadh, prompting civil defence alerts.
- Saudi Arabia and its allies Pakistan and Turkiye signed a joint defence agreement to strengthen deterrence.
The Saudi-led coalition announced on Saturday that it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by the Houthi rebels, targeting Khamis Mushait and Riyadh respectively.
In a statement posted on X, the coalition stated that it was monitoring the missile threat and drone attacks, which have been ongoing since the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July.
The attacks have targeted Saudi cities, energy infrastructure, and shipping, adding to the pressures on global oil supplies due to the ongoing tensions with Iran.
The Saudi civil defence had issued alerts overnight for Khamis Mushait and Abha but not for Riyadh, indicating the potential impact of the attacks.
The Houthi rebels, who control much of Yemen, have been launching attacks against Saudi Arabia since the blockade, with strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.
Hours earlier, the military chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye met in Riyadh to review threats facing Saudi Arabia.
The three nations signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, stating that an armed attack on any of them would be considered an attack on all, aimed at strengthening collective deterrence and military cooperation.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman affirmed with Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir the continued joint efforts to confront attacks against the kingdom in accordance with the pact.
