Saudi Arabia says at least 2 suspected Houthi drones shot down over kingdom

Saudi air defenses intercepted at least two suspected Houthi drones on Saturday morning, according to the spokesman for the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition fighting the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

“Air defenses intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone in the Riyadh region,” Turki al-Malki wrote on X, adding that “debris from the interception fell without causing injuries.”

Malki did not say who launched the drone.

The coalition also said it later intercepted and destroyed a drone that was launched by Houthis toward the Southern Region.

In recent weeks, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have ramped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, including by launching deadly strikes on Riyadh airport that forced its closure for two weeks and the cancellation of flagship events — threatening the kingdom’s economic diversification plans.

On Friday, Malki said the Houthis had targeted the Medina region, home to Islam’s second holiest city, but the group later denied the claim. The Houthis have repeatedly denied targeting Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, rejecting Saudi accusations that it had launched drones toward the cities.

The Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, airports and ships come after hostilities resumed in Yemen over the summer between the Houthis and the country’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by Riyadh.

More than 1,600 people have been killed and over 275,000 displaced since the fighting reignited, according to United Nations figures.

In July, a fragile 2022 truce fell apart after the Houthis allowed an Iranian plane to land in Yemen’s capital Sanaa in defiance of Saudi control over Yemeni airspace, setting off a spate of attacks.

Later, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began hitting its ships, territory and oil facilities, before seizing Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast in a lightning campaign.

The Houthis have reported frequent Saudi airstrikes in areas they control as Riyadh retaliates.

On Friday, the Houthis also targeted the presidential palace in Aden with two missiles, a police official said. Aden is the seat of Yemen’s Saudi-backed and internationally recognized government.

Two eyewitnesses said they saw ambulances entering the palace in Aden, a large compound made up of several buildings including facilities used by government and Saudi-led coalition forces, after the incident.

Shortly before, residents said they heard two blasts in the city.

Syria weighing whether to join Mecca pact

Meanwhile, as fighting between Riyadh and the Houthis continued, Syria’s top diplomat on Saturday said Damascus was considering whether to join the NATO-style Mecca defense alliance that binds Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia is a key backer of Syria’s government that came to power after the fall of former strongman Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

“Discussions are currently underway to evaluate Syria’s entry into the Mecca alliance,” Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia has been rallying support against escalating Houthi attacks, though Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have not announced any attacks on the Iran-backed Houthis.

Last week, Egypt’s parliament voted to authorize military support for Saudi Arabia, in what the Houthis said was a “declaration of war” against the group from Cairo.

Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to Riyadh and said France had sent troops to help shield a key Saudi oil terminal from Houthi attacks.

Also in October, the UK government announced it would deploy British fighter planes to help Saudi Arabia against the attacks.