Saudi air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at the southern city of Najran and destroyed a drone over the Mecca region on Friday, 6 November, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said.

Coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki said Saudi air defences successfully intercepted the two missiles, and that the authorities were assessing damage caused by falling debris. In a later statement, he said a drone had also been intercepted and destroyed over the Mecca region, without identifying who launched it or specifying its intended target.

Saudi Civil Defence issued two early warnings to residents of Najran over potential danger during the attacks. On both occasions it later announced that the threat had passed, urging residents to follow official instructions and avoid gathering or taking photographs at incident sites.

Drone intercepted over Riyadh

Later on Friday, the coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone in the Riyadh region. Al-Maliki announced the interception in a statement, giving no further details on the launch point or any damage.

The incidents followed a series of interceptions the previous day. On Thursday, the coalition said it had destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards the Medina region, and a drone in the Eastern Province, without identifying its origin.

The Houthis' military spokesman, Yahya Saree, denied the claim about the Medina region. The Houthis have repeatedly denied targeting Islam's holy cities, saying their cross-border attacks are aimed at Saudi energy and military infrastructure.

Escalation across Yemen and Saudi Arabia

The Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, targeting airports, oil facilities and military sites, while the Saudi-led coalition has carried out air strikes in Yemen.

On Saturday, 7 November, the coalition said its air defences had intercepted missiles aimed at Riyadh, and Houthi media reported coalition air strikes on targets in Yemen. The renewed fighting has brought down the UN-mediated ceasefire agreed in 2022.

The United Nations says more than 1,600 people have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since fighting intensified in Yemen in July, when government forces launched an offensive to retake Houthi-held territory, including the capital.

The attacks on Saudi targets come as the wider US-Israeli war with Iran continues across the region. The Houthis are allied with Tehran, and their campaign against Saudi Arabia has run alongside the confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large share of the world's oil passes.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in air defences, and the coalition says most incoming missiles and drones are intercepted before they reach their targets. No casualties were reported from Friday's interceptions.