The strike came after the Houthis captured a key Yemeni port on the Red Sea last month, threatening the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, a choke point for global oil shipments.
Saudi Civil Defence issued early warning alerts across the Eastern Region and in Kharj governorate, issuing sirens and urging residents to seek shelter, a mother in Al‑Faisaliyah said her family huddled in the basement during the sirens.
The 2022 UN‑brokered ceasefire collapsed in October when the Houthis launched cross‑border attacks, prompting Saudi retaliatory raids that have stepped up since.
Defence Minister Sharif Al‑Mutairi said the coalition would intensify air campaigns to protect the kingdom’s borders, while a senior U.N. diplomat warned that the escalation could spill into a wider regional conflict.
In a separate statement, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that no civilian casualties were reported in the Eastern and Southern regions during the interception.