Saudi Arabia intercepts a ballistic missile attributed to Houthi rebels in the Medina region

Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that it had intercepted a ballistic missile in the Medina region, home to one of Islam’s holy cities. The missile was attributed to Houthi fighters in Yemen, while the pro-Iranian rebels regularly deny targeting the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.

The announcement was made by Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the military coalition led by Riyadh, which supports the Yemeni government in its conflict with the Houthi rebels. According to him, the missile was intercepted and destroyed before reaching its target.

That same morning, Saudi Civil Defense issued an alert about a potential danger in Yanbu governorate, home to one of the kingdom’s main oil terminals on the Red Sea. A similar alert was also issued along Saudi Arabia’s southern border. Yanbu is located approximately 100 kilometers from Medina, but it was not immediately clear whether the two events were connected.

Houthi rebels frequently claim attacks on Saudi airports, energy infrastructure and military facilities. The Yanbu region has been targeted in recent months, while the port and the East-West pipeline are strategically important to Saudi Arabia’s oil exports, as they allow hydrocarbons to be transported to international markets without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.