Two Missiles Downed Near Mecca, Debris Scatters Across Three Cities
Saudi Civil Defense intercepted projectiles aimed at the holy regions while Houthi spokesmen claimed strikes on airports and oil facilities.
By Christopher Singh ·
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense reported that its air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched on Saturday toward the Mecca and Medina regions. Fragments from the downed projectiles landed in Jeddah, Taif, and Rabigh. The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the group's operations also targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran airport, and an air base in Khamis Mushait.
The Houthis said they struck a Saudi Aramco facility in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery, and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Houthi-linked Saba News Agency reported earlier Saturday that Yemen's National Commission for Human Rights condemned Saudi strikes on Sanaa. That commission described a massacre in the Asr neighborhood and an attack on a cement factory in the Hamdan district of Sanaa Governorate.
The exchange of fire followed a Friday update from the US State Department concerning Israel. The revised travel advisory warned of a heightened threat of armed attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces and of a rapid escalation of regional hostilities. The State Department kept Israel's classification at Level 3, which urges American citizens to reconsider travel because of terrorism and unrest, and it left existing risk indicators and area-specific travel restrictions unchanged. In its armed conflict warning, the department cited past Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian airports and critical infrastructure that caused casualties and major travel disruptions.
Saudi Civil Defense issued its account of the interceptions on Saturday.
