The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said early on Saturday that it had intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Region. The attack came as Yemen’s Houthis continue their assaults on the kingdom.
Cross-border fighting between the coalition, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government, and the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, has intensified. The clashes have opened another front amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. The coalition also said it later destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis toward the Southern Region.
Eastern Region hit by repeated attacks
The Eastern Region is the economic heart of Saudi Arabia and has been targeted several times in recent weeks. It holds most of the kingdom’s oil and gas reserves and houses the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, which suffered extensive damage in an attack earlier in October.
Also read: Houthi forces claim six attacks on Saudi airports, oil sites · Saudi-led coalition says it struck Houthi missile sites
Disputed drone claims over Medina and holy cities
The coalition said on Friday it had destroyed a Houthi drone over the Medina region, but the group denied carrying out any attack that day. Medina is home to one of Islam’s holiest sites and attracts millions of Muslim pilgrims each year.
The Houthis have repeatedly denied targeting Mecca and Medina, rejecting Saudi accusations that they had launched drones toward the two cities.
