Riyadh (TDI): A Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a drone heading towards the kingdom’s Eastern Province early Friday, as reports of cross-border military activity emerged from Yemen’s northern border region.
In a brief statement, the coalition announced the interception but did not identify the party responsible for launching the drone or specify its intended target. It also provided no information about possible casualties or damage.
Separately, Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported artillery shelling in parts of Al-Dhaher district in Yemen’s Saada province, which borders Saudi Arabia.
The incidents come amid renewed military escalation between the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen’s Houthi movement. On Thursday, the coalition said it had intercepted a cruise missile over the Madinah region in western Saudi Arabia. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree denied that the group had carried out attacks against Saudi territory that day.
A day earlier, the coalition reported intercepting and destroying a ballistic missile launched towards Riyadh. Falling debris reportedly injured one person and caused minor property damage.
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The latest developments follow a series of reported attacks targeting Saudi airports and energy facilities, raising concerns over the security of critical infrastructure and the risk of further escalation.
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis since 2015. The group seized Sanaa in 2014 and has maintained control over the capital and several other parts of the country.
The current escalation reportedly began in July, following a period of relative calm after a United Nations-brokered truce took effect in April 2022.
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The latest incidents underscore continuing security concerns along the Saudi-Yemeni border, although responsibility for Friday’s intercepted drone has not been established in the coalition’s public statement.
