Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles as shrapnel falls near Mecca, Medina
Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency said on Saturday that shrapnel fell in the Mecca and Medina regions after missiles launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels were intercepted.
The two cities are Islam's holiest sites. In a statement posted on X, the General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defence said fragments from two ballistic missiles launched towards the western regions had fallen in several locations.
The shrapnel landed in Wadi Mughamas, outside Mecca; the Al-Nuzha neighbourhood in Jeddah; Wadi Jalil in Taif; and an uninhabited area in Rabigh, the agency said.
Earlier on Saturday, the agency had warned of a potential threat in four western provinces, including Mecca, and urged residents to move to the nearest safe location.
The civil defence agency operates under Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry and is responsible for protecting people and property during emergencies and disasters.
Houthis claim attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities
The incident came hours after the Houthis said they had targeted several sites across Saudi Arabia on Friday and Saturday, including three airports, two oil facilities, a pipeline and an air base.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, as well as airports in the Dammam and Najran regions.
The group also claimed to have struck the Khamis Mushait air base in southern Saudi Arabia, along with crude oil pumping stations and the east-west crude oil pipeline.
The claims came amid a broader escalation of hostilities in the region.
Houthis fire missiles at Aden, says Yemen government
Yemen's Saudi-backed government said on Saturday that the Houthis had fired three ballistic missiles at coast guard facilities in the southern port city of Aden.
The latest developments have raised concerns over the breakdown of the United Nations-mediated truce agreed in 2022, which had largely prevented cross-border strikes between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition.
The coalition supports Yemen's internationally recognised government, while the Houthis continue to control the capital, Sanaa.