The coalition intercepts two missiles towards Riyadh, and “Saudi raids” on Sanaa

The Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday that it intercepted two missiles launched by the Ansar Allah Houthi group towards Riyadh, a ballistic missile launched towards the southern region of the Kingdom, and a drone over the oil-rich eastern region, on a night that witnessed intense military activity across Saudi Arabia.

This comes amid intensifying fighting between the Houthis and the coalition after the Houthis advanced in September towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic shipping lane at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

The Houthis have since intensified their attacks on Saudi airports, ports and oil installations, while the Kingdom launched air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The coalition stated that its air defenses destroyed a ballistic missile and another cruise missile that were launched towards the Saudi capital.

The Saudi Civil Defense had previously issued an early warning to Riyadh, and then later announced that the danger had passed.

In a separate statement, the coalition said that it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards southern Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen.

The Saudi Civil Defense had previously issued warnings to the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait in the southwest of the Kingdom, before later announcing that the danger had passed.

On the other hand, the Houthi-run Saba News Agency reported that Saudi Arabia launched air strikes on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, which is controlled by the group, targeting the Al-Mafzar gas station in the Jadar area, north of the capital, and the state oil company building in south Sana’a.

The agency later reported that civil defense teams were working to extinguish a fire that broke out in gas trailers at the Al-Mafzar station. The Saudi authorities have not yet confirmed these raids, while the Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for launching the missiles and drone at Saudi Arabia.

The coalition later said it intercepted and destroyed a drone over the kingdom's oil-rich eastern region.

The eastern region, which represents the economic engine of the Kingdom, has been subjected to numerous attacks from the Houthis over the past few weeks. The region contains the majority of Saudi Arabia's oil and gas reserves, and also includes the headquarters of the oil giant Aramco, which was severely damaged in an attack that occurred in October.

Southern Saudi Arabia, which is located on the border with Yemen, has repeatedly been subjected to attacks launched by the Houthis with missiles and drones on military sites and energy infrastructure.

In light of the continuing exchange of strikes between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, schools in Riyadh are returning to adopting distance education, according to what parents reported to Agence France-Presse on Monday, based on a letter they received from educational institutions.

A message seen by Agence France-Presse said: “As part of the continued implementation of precautionary measures, we inform you that it has been decided to convert in-person studies to distance learning, starting tomorrow, Tuesday... for all students and school employees from the educational and administrative bodies,” without specifying the duration of this.

In the Yemeni governorate of Taiz, the suffering of the population is worsening with the deterioration of health conditions, in light of the lack of capabilities, the scarcity of medicines, and the decline in the ability of the remaining health facilities to respond to the needs of patients.

From the contact lines on the outskirts of the city of Taiz, displaced people spoke to the BBC about the details of their suffering and the difficulties they face in obtaining health care.