Saudi coalition intercepts Houthi missile as Riyadh airport flights resume

The Saudi-led military coalition announced on Monday, Oct. 26, that its air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi militia toward Riyadh. The claim came after the Houthis said they had successfully targeted King Khalid International Airport with a missile and drones.

Coalition spokesman Turki Al‑Malki told reporters on X that the missile was destroyed and that two ballistic‑missile launchers in Sana’a were also eliminated. He added, "We continue the process of dismantling the ballistic missile network of the terrorist Houthi militia," and said the coalition had intercepted at least ten ballistic missiles on Sunday.

Houthi claims and parallel operations

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group "successfully targeted the airport with a ballistic missile" and also struck oil‑pumping stations with drones on Monday. He warned that Riyadh airport remained "unsafe" and a "military target", urging airlines and travellers to avoid it. Saree added that the Yemeni Armed Forces had carried out two "qualitative military operations" against Saudi troop concentrations and weapons depots in Aden and Lahj, causing "dozens of casualties".

Impact on Riyadh and civilian damage

The missile interception occurred a day after explosions rattled the Saudi capital and text alerts warned residents of a "hostile aerial threat". Saudi civil‑defence officials reported two injuries in the south from falling debris and damage to several buildings and vehicles. Images released by the Saudi Press Agency showed a building with part of its upper façade destroyed and large windows shattered, with glass shards on the pavement. An anonymous resident of Khamis Mushait told AFP, "The bombardment has been very heavy since this morning – may God keep us safe. Everything is shaking because of the explosions."

Economic and diplomatic fallout

The airport closure, announced after the Houthi attack on Sunday, forced the postponement of Saudi Arabia’s flagship investment conference to 2027 and disrupted travel for thousands of passengers. The Dakar Rally was among events cancelled, postponed or relocated because of the conflict. During the same period, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and responded favourably to Saudi requests to keep a US‑made Patriot air‑defence system in the kingdom. Greece already operates a Patriot battery in Yanbu, a major oil‑export hub on the Red Sea coast.