Missile Intercepted Over Medina, Houthi Spokesperson Denies Attack
Riyadh, October 15: The Saudi-led coalition has claimed that it successfully intercepted a missile targeting Medina, one of Islam’s holiest cities, on Thursday. This incident contradicts a recent promise made by Houthi rebels, who stated they would not target Mecca or Medina. Shortly after the coalition’s announcement, the Houthis denied any involvement in the attack.
The coalition, engaged in combat against the Yemeni Houthi rebels, issued a statement confirming the successful interception of a cruise missile in the Medina region. Houthi spokesperson Turki al-Maliki wrote on social media platform X, “A cruise missile was intercepted and destroyed in the Medina area.” This statement was also reported by state media.
Following the announcement from Saudi Arabia about the missile interception, the Houthis asserted that they had not conducted any attack in the Medina area. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on X, “The Yemeni armed forces confirm that no operation was conducted targeting Saudi territory today. The Saudi claims regarding an attack on Medina are condemnable and outright false.”
In October 2026, the Houthis have targeted several airports in Saudi Arabia, particularly launching deadly drone and missile attacks on King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh. The first major attack occurred on October 10, resulting in 12 fatalities and over 309 injuries. An Indian national also died during treatment on October 11, raising the death toll to 13.
Less than 24 hours later, the airport was targeted again on Sunday afternoon, leading to one death and 11 injuries. Following these attacks, operations at King Khalid International Airport were temporarily suspended for security reasons, prompting various countries to issue advisories for the safety of their citizens.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for these attacks, promising to continue targeting various airports in the coming days; however, they have reiterated that holy sites like Mecca and Medina will not be included in their operations.
