Drones intercepted over Riyadh, other regions: Saudi-led coalition

RIYADH, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced on Saturday that it had intercepted and destroyed four drones over Riyadh and Saudi Arabia's eastern and southern regions in recent hours, while also destroying two ballistic missile launchers in Yemen's northern Saada province.

This photo taken with a mobile phone on Sept. 19, 2026 shows thick smoke rising near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (File photo: Xinhua)

In a series of posts on social media platform X, coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said coalition forces had intercepted and destroyed four drones in different parts of the kingdom, without providing further details on their exact locations or possible casualties.

Al-Maliki also announced that coalition forces destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Yemen's Saada province.

The development came amid escalating hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides exchanging attacks and military warnings in recent days.