Saudi-led coalition says it downs drone over oil-rich Eastern Region
- Saudi Arabia intercepted a Houthi drone over its Eastern Region, signaling continued escalation in the Yemen conflict
The Saudi-led coalition intercepted Houthi drones over Saudi Arabia's Eastern and Southern Regions, intensifying cross-border conflict amid regional tensions. The oil-rich Eastern Region has faced multiple recent attacks.
- Increased Houthi drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Region.
- Escalation of cross-border fighting amidst broader regional conflicts.
- Houthi denials of targeting Islam's holiest cities, Makkah and Medina.
CAIRO: The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said early on Saturday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Region as attacks by Yemen’s Houthis group continue.
Cross-border fighting involving the Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen’s government, and the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, has intensified amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, opening another front in the conflict.
The Eastern Region, which is the economic powerhouse of Saudi Arabia, has been subject to multiple attacks by Houthis in the past few weeks. It contains the majority of the kingdom’s oil and gas reserves and is home to oil giant Saudi Aramco’s headquarters, which suffered extensive damage in an attack earlier in October.
The coalition also said it later intercepted and destroyed a drone that was launched by Houthis toward the Southern Region.
The Saudi coalition had also said on Friday that it had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthis over Saudi Arabia’s Medina region, but the Houthis denied any Friday attack.
The Houthis have repeatedly denied targeting Makkah and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, rejecting Saudi accusations that it had launched drones towards the cities.