Saudi air defenses intercept Houthi ballistic missile threat targeting southern region

Saudi air defenses intercept Houthi ballistic missile threat targeting southern region

11:16 PM on July 13, 2026

The incident underscores ongoing hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi militia, which have continued despite international calls for de-escalation.

July 13, 2026 | 11:16 PM

Saudi Gazette

Last Updated: July 13, 2026 | 11:16 PM

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RIYADH — Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile threat launched by Yemen's Houthi militia toward the Kingdom's southern region, the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen announced on Monday.

Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, the coalition spokesman, stated that Saudi air defenses had successfully engaged ballistic missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia targeting southern Saudi Arabia.

The attack is condidered a flagrant violation of ceasefire agreements and another example of the militia's continued breaches of international law through attacks targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure, and vital facilities in the Kingdom.

Earlier this month, the coalition said Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia were aimed at diverting attention from the militia's violations against the Yemeni people and its worsening economic and humanitarian situation.

The coalition reaffirmed that it would respond with 'firmness and unprecedented force' to any efforts to target Saudi Arabia, its citizens, national assets, or to violate Yemen's sovereignty, consistent with international humanitarian law.

Al-Maliki said the Houthis continue to reject peace initiatives, including a Saudi-backed roadmap accepted by Yemen's internationally recognized government, while escalating attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

He also accused the militia of endangering Yemen's infrastructure by exposing ports, airports, power stations, factories, and other economic assets to destruction.

The coalition said Saudi Arabia, together with its international partners, remains committed to supporting efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people and advance a comprehensive political solution to the conflict.

The Houthi attacks persist despite ceasefire agreements, and the coalition has repeatedly accused the militia of violating international law. The escalation also threatens Red Sea shipping, where Houthi operations have disrupted commercial traffic. With peace initiatives stalled, the conflict shows no sign of abating.