Saudi Defences Intercept Houthi Missile and Drone Barrage Near Mecca as Riyadh Airport Partly Reopens

Saudi Arabia's defences have intercepted a barrage of missiles and drones launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The attack, which began on Saturday evening, targeted cities across the kingdom, triggering widespread civil defence alerts and international condemnation.

Saudi Civil Defence said shrapnel from two intercepted ballistic missiles fell in Jeddah, Taif, Rabigh and Wadi Al-Mughammas in Mecca province.

A drone and a ballistic missile were also intercepted over the capital Riyadh. By midday Sunday, coalition forces had intercepted a cruise missile targeting Khamis Mushait, with warning sirens blaring across Taif and Jazan. In total, 10 ballistic missiles directed at the southern region were intercepted.

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi described the strikes as a grave violation of the sanctity of the Holy Sites and a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide, referring to the interceptions in Mecca, home of the Kaaba and Masjid al-Haram. The Houthis have denied targeting Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom has faced waves of Houthi missile and drone strikes in recent weeks, targeting civilian and military infrastructure.

Amid this, Riyadh announced late Saturday that international flights from King Khalid International Airport would resume from Terminal 2 on Sunday, while Terminal 1 would be designated for domestic flights. Flights from the airport had been suspended after waves of Houthi strikes, including one on October 10 that killed 13 people and wounded hundreds.

Bangla media reports also carried the partial reopening of Riyadh airport, noting that the Houthis had issued a warning alongside the reopening announcement.

Early Sunday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned civilians away from the Saudi capital's airport. He said King Khalid International Airport is not safe because it is a military target, renewing the warning to airlines, employees and travellers. He also announced seven operations targeting Saudi oil facilities and military bases.

Yemen has been in a state of war since Houthi forces captured the capital Sanaa in September 2014, forcing the government to flee south. After a brief ceasefire, fighting has intensified again.

According to the report, fighting escalated after government forces attacked Sanaa International Airport to prevent a Houthi delegation arriving from Tehran. The Houthis then launched a surprise offensive in September, capturing Yemen's western coast including the city of Mocha. Forces aligned with the internationally recognised government launched an operation on October 5 aimed at retaking lost territories.

On Sunday, Yemen's armed forces said the military had carried out 736 strikes on Houthi positions over the past 24 hours, claiming 307 people were neutralised and 68 military vehicles destroyed.

Amid the military escalation, the Rasd Organization for Rights and Freedoms warned of the dire humanitarian situation in Taiz, which is under a Houthi siege. About 1,110 kidney failure patients face the risk of a shortage of dialysis supplies, with about 120 dialysis sessions needed daily alongside 192 patients in intensive care units and 154 children in incubators, due to the siege imposed on Taiz since October 4, the group said.

All in all, the interceptions near Mecca province and the exchange of threats around Riyadh airport have brought this conflict back to the centre of international concern.