Houthi missiles fired at Medina intercepted, Saudi coalition says

Saudi Arabia’s Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement towards the Medina region. The claim is significant because Medina is one of Islam’s holiest cities, while the Houthis have said they would not target the holy cities in their campaign against Saudi Arabia.

The announcement came minutes after Saudi civil defence warned of a potential danger in Yanbu, but officials did not say whether the warning and missile interception were connected. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Yanbu, a Red Sea port that is the terminus of the East-West Pipeline, which enables Saudi Arabia to ship oil without using the Strait of Hormuz.