Saudi Arabia Intercepts Six Houthi Ballistic Missiles Targeting Taif and Yanbu

RIYADH, — September 24, 2026 — Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed six ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement toward the cities of Taif and Yanbu on Thursday, adding another major missile threat to the escalating regional conflict. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the missiles were intercepted before reaching their intended targets. (Saudi Gazette)

The Saudi announcement followed emergency alerts issued by the kingdom's Civil Defense authorities covering Yanbu, Jeddah, Tabuk, Mecca and Taif. Authorities later said the danger had passed in the affected areas. The Associated Press reported that there was no immediate independent confirmation of damage or casualties from the six missile interceptions. (AP)

The latest incident also involved the wider Yanbu region, where a Greek-operated Patriot air-defense system intercepted a ballistic missile and a drone on Thursday, according to sources cited by Reuters. Yanbu is particularly important because its Red Sea port and associated infrastructure provide Saudi Arabia with an alternative route for exporting crude when shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted. (Reuters)

The missile threat comes as Saudi Arabia works to restore oil-export capacity affected by earlier attacks. Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser said the company could restore disrupted operations within days while examining additional export routes. (Nikkei Asia)

Saudi Arabia had already restarted operations on its East-West oil pipeline after it was shut following a September 11 drone attack that Riyadh attributed to Iraqi militia groups. Reuters reported that pumping had resumed at a reduced rate, while restoring the pipeline to its full capacity could take considerably longer because several pumping stations were damaged. (Reuters)

The Houthis had not immediately accepted responsibility for the six missiles cited by Saudi authorities. Later Thursday, however, the group claimed that it had launched a much larger missile and drone attack against Saudi military installations in the southwestern Jazan region, according to reports. The competing claims had not been independently verified. (AP)

The latest escalation comes days after Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and after repeated warnings involving other Saudi locations. The attacks have increased pressure on Saudi energy infrastructure and the Red Sea shipping corridor while fighting has also intensified inside Yemen. (Al Jazeera)

Saudi authorities have said further Houthi attacks would be met with a firm response, while the latest missile interceptions demonstrate the continuing security threat facing the kingdom as the wider regional conflict expands. (Reuters)