SAUDI Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed five ballistic missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels from neighbouring Yemen, after explosions were heard over the capital Riyadh and authorities issued attack warnings.
Two missiles were intercepted over Riyadh, while another three were destroyed after being launched towards the kingdom’s eastern region, Saudi authorities said on Tuesday.
The warnings for Riyadh and other areas were later lifted without initial reports of damage, although Saudi Civil Defence said shrapnel from the intercepted missiles damaged a building, a construction site and a vehicle.
AP reported Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claiming on social media that one ballistic missile had directly hit the Saudi Defence Ministry headquarters in Riyadh. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claim.
The Houthis also claimed to have struck the Ras Tanoura refinery in eastern Saudi Arabia, but the allegation could not be verified and Saudi authorities did not comment on it.
Later on Tuesday, Saudi Civil Defence issued alerts for the Jeddah and Yanbu areas.
The developments came as fighting escalated in Yemen, where the Houthis accused government forces of killing at least two people in a strike on a petrol station near Taiz late on Monday.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry said several others were wounded in the attack. Yemen’s military, meanwhile, said its forces had launched airstrikes targeting Houthi positions.
The claims could not be independently verified.
The Houthis have largely encircled Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, for weeks, cutting supply routes from government-held areas. Government forces have been fighting back as clashes intensify.
Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV also reported government airstrikes on Tuesday in the Houthi-controlled port city of Mokha and the Dhubab district near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The AP could not independently verify the report.
The latest attacks add to wider regional tensions as Saudi Arabia faces security threats linked to the Yemen conflict, while diplomatic efforts continue to prevent further escalation involving Iran and its regional allies. - October 28, 2026
