Saudi Arabia announces that fragments of Houthi missiles fell over Mecca and Medina

On Saturday, the Saudi Civil Defense announced that fragments intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the regions of Mecca and Medina, at a time when the Iranian-backed group said it had targeted airports and oil facilities in the Kingdom.

The official Saudi News Agency (SPA) reported that the Civil Defense in the Makkah and Medina regions “began falling fragments and intercepting two ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the Makkah and Medina regions.”

“The process of intercepting the two ballistic missiles led to parts of them falling in (Wadi Al-Mughammas) in the Holy Capital, and parts of the interception fragments in the Al-Nuzha neighborhood in Jeddah Governorate, Wadi Jalil in Taif Governorate, and the Mastura Center in Rabigh Governorate.”

Meanwhile, the military spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, said in a statement that they carried out attacks with “drones and ballistic missiles” against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and Najran Airport.

The statement added that other attacks targeted Aramco in Yanbu, the Rabaa oil refinery, crude oil pumping stations, and the pipeline transporting crude oil from east to west, in addition to the Khamis Mushait Air Base in the Kingdom.

The forces affiliated with the internationally recognized government, supported by Saudi Arabia, announced earlier on Saturday that the Houthis had bombed “the interim Yemeni capital, Aden, with ballistic missiles.”

She added in a statement, "The terrorist Houthi militia deliberately bombs civilian objects and the vital capabilities of the Yemeni people."

The Saudi-led “Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen” also announced on Saturday the interception and destruction of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the cities of Taif and Yanbu.

The coalition also indicated at dawn on Saturday that the Saudi air defense intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards the capital, Riyadh.

The escalation continues as the United States rushes to transfer some of its diplomats and their family members from their positions in the Middle East, in light of the increasing risks of a regional escalation, according to what multiple sources familiar with this matter revealed to CNN.

An unclassified memorandum, dated October 23 and addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, indicates that US intelligence has concluded that “Iran has significantly intensified its efforts to target American personnel,” and that these plans “have reached advanced stages, both in the Middle East and in other countries.”

This week, the US State Department issued orders for the departure of non-essential employees and all family members of diplomats from Saudi Arabia, and officials explained that this decision came in response to the escalation by the Houthis.

At the same time, sources told CNN that the ministry is quietly adjusting its staff levels at several other embassies in the Middle East, including Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Lebanon.

Unlike the departure decision related to Saudi Arabia, staff transfers from these other embassies have not been publicly announced.

The US State Department confirmed that those embassies - unlike the embassy in Saudi Arabia - have not changed their status, and are still subject to the “restricted operations” system.