Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missile towards Riyadh as alerts issued in Riyadh, Najran

RIYADH: A Saudi-led coalition said on Friday that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthis towards Riyadh, as civil defence authorities issued early warning alerts in the capital and the southern Najran region.

The coalition announced the interception early on Friday, according to Reuters.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence subsequently issued an early warning alert in Riyadh at around 5:14am. Minutes later, authorities said the danger in the capital had passed.

An alert was also issued in the Najran region shortly after 6:20am, before Civil Defence later announced that the danger there had also passed.

The developments come amid continuing security tensions involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, who have launched missiles and drones towards the kingdom during previous periods of escalation.

International events postponed

Separately, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics announced on Friday that two major international events due to be held in Riyadh next month had been postponed.

The United Nations Global Data Forum and the Second Saudi Statistical Forum, previously scheduled to take place from November 9 to 12, 2026, will now be held in 2027, the authority said in a statement.

The Saudi statistics authority did not state in the Reuters report why the events had been postponed, and there was no official indication linking the decision to Friday’s missile interception or security alerts.

The UN Global Data Forum brings together governments, international organisations, civil society, academia and the private sector to discuss the collection, use and governance of data for development and policymaking.

The Second Saudi Statistical Forum had been scheduled alongside the UN event in Riyadh.

Friday’s security alerts were lifted within a relatively short period, with Saudi Civil Defence announcing that the immediate danger had passed in both Riyadh and Najran.

The Saudi-led coalition’s statement identified the projectile as a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh. No further operational details were immediately released.