Saudi-led coalition intercepts missile as fighting and airstrikes continue in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile aimed at Saudi Arabia's southern region, as fighting continues on several fronts in Yemen. The coalition also said it destroyed a drone launched toward the same area earlier in the weekend. At the same time, Houthi-affiliated media reported that seven people were wounded in coalition air strikes in the Red Sea city of Hodeidah.

Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said the missile was intercepted on Monday, while the drone was destroyed on Sunday evening. Saudi Civil Defence later issued and then lifted alerts for Abha, Khamis Mushait, Taif and Najran, warning of potential danger before telling residents not to film, publish or share information about missile and drone attacks. The coalition did not immediately comment on the Hodeidah strike reports.

According to the Houthi media account, four people were wounded in strikes on the Ras Isa port dock and three others were injured in a strike on an oil company site in Bajil district. The reported casualties underline the continuing risk to civilians and infrastructure in areas where air strikes and missile activity remain frequent. The coalition and the Houthis have repeatedly traded claims over attacks in recent years, with each side often disputing the other's account.

The latest developments come as Yemeni government forces continue their campaign to regain positions from the Iran-aligned Houthis in the strategic northern governorate of al-Jawf. Yemeni army spokesman Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said government forces carried out 1,272 targeting operations over 24 hours against Houthi fighters, fortifications and weapons supplies. He said the operations were also continuing in neighbouring Marib and in al-Bayda to the south, although the claims could not be independently verified.

The fighting matters beyond the immediate battlefield because it affects both Yemen's internal conflict and security along Saudi Arabia's southern border. Cross-border missile and drone launches have repeatedly prompted air defence alerts in Saudi cities and provinces, while strikes inside Yemen continue to add to the humanitarian strain. In southwest Yemen, the Houthis are also reported to be besieging Taiz, blocking food, fuel and medical supplies, which local authorities say is worsening an already fragile health situation.

What remains unclear is the full scale of damage from the latest strikes and whether there were any military losses beyond the figures cited by the warring sides. It is also not possible to independently confirm the casualty reports or the claims about the number of Houthi fighters killed in al-Jawf. The next developments to watch are whether the coalition reports further interceptions, whether the Houthis respond with additional launches, and whether the fighting in al-Jawf spreads to nearby fronts.

#Yemen #Saudiledcoalition #Houthimovement #Hodeidah #alJawf