JEDDAH: Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces on Saturday intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis from Yemen, said the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
“The missile was supposed to hit the region of Najran” and “target areas populated by civilians,” said Col. Turki Al-Maliki.
“The missile was intercepted and destroyed, causing the splatter of fragments over residential neighborhoods. According to preliminary information, one Indian expat suffered minor injuries,” he added.
“Such hostile and random acts carried out by the Houthi militia prove the continued involvement of the Iranian regime in the Yemeni war,” Al-Maliki said.
“Iran has been, and still is, supporting the armed militia by providing them with qualitative capabilities. This support comes as a clear and explicit defiance of UN Resolutions 2216 and 2231 in order to threaten the Kingdom and regional and global security,” he added.
“The launch of ballistic missiles at populated cities and villages is considered a violation of international humanitarian law.”
The interception follows a seven-missile attack by Houthi militia on the Kingdom on Sunday, March 25, which was widely condemned by the global community.
Three of the seven rockets fired targeted Riyadh, two were aimed at Jazan, and the others were launched toward Khamis Mushayt and Najran. Saudi air defenses intercepted all seven.
Missiles were targeted at residential areas and one Egyptian civilian worker was killed, while two were injured, said the news channel. It did not mention where the casualties were.
On Monday, March 26, the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia said in a news conference that the debris of missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen carried the features of weapons manufactured near Tehran. The coalition lashed out at the Iranian regime for providing the Houthi militias with sophisticated arms and ballistic missiles, thus undermining regional security.
Al-Maliki displayed the debris of the Houthi missiles that targeted Riyadh. He said forensic analysis of the wreckage of the missiles showed they were supplied to the Houthi militias by Iran.
Al-Maliki noted that 78 percent of 104 ballistic missiles that have been launched targeting the Kingdom came from Saadah in Yemen and areas north of Amran.
The UN Security Council this week condemned “in the strongest possible terms” multiple missile attacks launched by the Houthis on Saudi territory, saying they posed a threat to regional security.
Last month, Houthi militias fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh, targeting Al-Yamamah Royal Palace in the Saudi capital.
In November 2017, militias launched a missile targeting King Khalid International Airport.
Houthi aggression toward Saudi Arabia has increased in recent months and has caused a global outcry, with a number of countries and organizations condemning the launch of ballistic missiles targeting the Kingdom.
Houthi missile targeting Saudi Arabia's Najran intercepted
Houthi missile targeting Saudi Arabia's Najran intercepted
AlUla inspires Saudi designer on global stage
- Dalal Al-Juhani has represented Saudi Arabia at domestic and global events, spotlighting the nation’s creative vitality and cultural richness
ALULA: A Saudi designer has channeled childhood artistic enthusiasm into a distinguished professional career, weaving AlUla’s aesthetic and cultural character into creations that celebrate authenticity, while also drawing on the Kingdom’s cultural and natural legacy.
Dalal Al-Juhani’s interest in design began early, and she has refined her skills through rigorous academic training and hands-on practice.
The designer has represented Saudi Arabia at domestic and global events, spotlighting the nation’s creative vitality and cultural richness.
Her accolades include gold at London’s International Trade Exhibition for AI-driven tourism guide attire innovation, dual Romanian and Croatian gold medals at the same event, third-place recognition in King Abdulaziz University’s handicrafts division for sustainable accessory concepts, and gold at the 2025 Saudi International Innovation and Invention Exhibition for eco-conscious jewelry inspired by the Prophet's Mosque ornamentation.
Al-Juhani strives to feature the Kingdom’s natural resources and domestic industries as foundational elements in her work.
Observing the nation’s landscapes gives designers an expanded capacity to distil beauty and integrate it within contemporary creations honoring traditional foundations, she said.
Al-Juhani acknowledges the Kingdom’s support for cultural and artistic pursuits, saying that specialized government bodies have facilitated cultural education through targeted programs, including overseas scholarships and professional development initiatives, reinforcing national expertise within creative industries and fostering excellence.
She believes designers should look beyond aesthetic production and seek to preserve heritage, safeguard cultural memory, and respect ancestral roots, while projecting national character.
AlUla constitutes a visual and intellectual touchstone throughout her portfolio. The area’s distinctive topography, archeological inscriptions, and ecological diversity inform a design vocabulary that reveals a symbiotic connection among individuals, geography, and identity, she said.
