Saudi Arabia says it intercepted missiles and drones from Iran-backed Houthis

The U.S. embassy HQ in Riyadh is pictured on March 3, 2026.AFP via Getty ImagesSaudi Arabia intercepted drones and missiles headed for several cities, including the capital Riyadh, fired by Iran-aligned Houthis on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said.The ongoing fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen-based Houthis, combined with remarks by President Donald Trump last week suggesting that the U.S. and Israel are planning fresh strikes on Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections, drove oil prices to a six-month high Friday.The official Saudi Press Agency quoted the spokesperson of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Turki Al-Maliki, as saying two drones and a ballistic missile were "intercepted and destroyed" as they headed toward Riyadh. The agency quoted Al-Maliki as saying that 10 ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward the southern region of Saudi Arabia were also intercepted, as was a cruise missile headed for the city of Khamis Mushait.The Houthis said in a Telegram post that they "carried out seven qualitative military operations using a number of ballistic missiles and drones."The targets included Riyadh's King Khalid International A...