Saudi Arabia shoots down three missiles aimed at Riyadh and the south

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen said on Tuesday it intercepted and destroyed three missiles. Two were fired towards the capital, Riyadh, and one towards the kingdom's southern region. The attacks came hours after Saudi Arabia reported damage to the East-West pipeline, an important route for its oil exports.

What the coalition said

Coalition spokesperson Major-General Turki al-Maliki said in posts on X that a ballistic missile and a cruise missile were destroyed over Riyadh, while a second ballistic missile was downed over the south. He blamed the Houthis. The group made no immediate comment.

The AFP news agency reported multiple explosions in Riyadh. Residents received text messages telling them to take shelter because of an "aerial threat", and the civil defence agency later said the danger had passed.

Attacks on oil infrastructure

On Monday the East-West pipeline in the Medina region was hit again. An Energy Ministry official told the state-run SPA news agency that the strike caused a "limited fire", which was put out, and that pipeline operations were unaffected. No injuries or deaths were reported.

The pipeline is a vital export route because Tehran has restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war against Iran. It has been attacked several times, and the war on Iran is fuelling a global energy crisis.

On Sunday the Houthis also said they had attacked Riyadh's business district. Saudi officials said falling debris from an "attempted attack" caused minor damage to the Aramco Tower. Images released by SPA showed the deputy governor of the Riyadh region and other officials inspecting the building, with damage visible on several floors.

The strikes are the latest in a series of attacks as fighting continues in Yemen between the Houthis and the internationally recognised government, which Riyadh backs. The coalition supports a government offensive to retake territory with air strikes, while the Houthis have repeatedly hit Saudi oil infrastructure, including refineries and storage facilities, with drones and missiles.