Saudi Defenses Intercept Houthi Missile Barrage Near Mecca

Saudi-led coalition air defenses intercepted a barrage of ballistic missiles, drones and at least one cruise missile fired from Yemen over a roughly 18-hour window starting Saturday evening, according to Al Jazeera, which cited Saudi Civil Defence. Ten ballistic missiles aimed at the kingdom's southern region alone were shot down, the outlet reported.

What did Saudi air defenses intercept?

Saudi Civil Defence said shrapnel from two intercepted ballistic missiles fell across four locations: Jeddah, Taif, Rabigh, and Wadi Al-Mughammas in Mecca province, Al Jazeera reported October 25. A separate drone and ballistic missile were intercepted over Riyadh during the same barrage. By midday Sunday, coalition forces had also intercepted a cruise missile aimed at Khamis Mushait, with sirens sounding in Taif and Jazan, according to the same report.

Where did the strikes land, and who was affected?

No casualty figures from this specific barrage appear in Saudi Civil Defence's reporting as relayed by Al Jazeera. For scale, the outlet noted an earlier Houthi strike on October 10 killed 13 people and wounded hundreds — a single prior incident, not part of the weekend's interception tally.

What are the Houthis saying?

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree told airlines, employees and travelers that "King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is not safe because it is a military target," per Al Jazeera's account, renewing a warning against the facility. Saree also said the group carried out seven separate operations against Saudi oil facilities and military bases. The Houthis have denied targeting Muslim holy sites, Al Jazeera reported, after GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi called the interceptions near Mecca "a grave violation of the sanctity of the Holy Sites and a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide."

How does this fit the broader Yemen conflict timeline?

• September 2014: Houthi forces capture Sanaa, Yemen's capital, forcing the government to flee south, according to Al Jazeera's background.
• This September (2026): A ceasefire breaks down after government forces attack Sanaa International Airport to block a Houthi delegation arriving from Tehran; Houthis respond with a surprise offensive capturing Yemen's western coast, including Mocha.
• October 10, 2026: A Houthi strike on Riyadh kills 13 and wounds hundreds, per Al Jazeera.
• Saturday, October 24–Sunday, October 25, 2026: The latest barrage targets Jeddah, Taif, Rabigh, Mecca province, Riyadh, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Saudi oil and military infrastructure, intercepted by coalition air defenses.

Forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government have since launched what Al Jazeera described as "Operation Dawn of Ye[men]," though further detail on that operation was not available in the sourced report. The triage summary accompanying this cluster also points to "fierce ground battles and a devastating siege" strangling Yemen's Taiz, though specific figures on that siege were not included in the Al Jazeera dispatch reviewed for this piece.

What changed at Riyadh's main airport?

Saudi authorities announced late Saturday that international flights from King Khalid International Airport would resume from Terminal 2 on Sunday, with Terminal 1 reserved for domestic flights, Al Jazeera reported. The restart follows a suspension of flights at the airport after prior waves of Houthi strikes.