Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launched a coordinated overnight attack against Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Saturday, September 26, firing a ballistic missile at the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait while simultaneously dispatching a swarm of drones toward the capital Riyadh. Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed both volleys.
Saudi Arabia's military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, announced the interceptions early Saturday morning. The ballistic missile targeting Khamis Mushait was engaged and destroyed before reaching its target; the accompanying drone salvo aimed at Riyadh was also downed. Al-Malki described the attacks as a "grave escalation and threat to regional security." The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the strikes and called on the international community to hold the Houthis accountable.
The overnight assault came within 24 hours of Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi standing before reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and proposing a seven-day plan to end the broader Middle East war — while Iran's armed proxy in Yemen continued firing on a U.S. ally. The juxtaposition tells you everything you need to know: Tehran's diplomats talk peace in Manhattan while their Yemeni clients launch ballistic missiles at Saudi cities.
No casualties were reported from either the missile or the drone attack. As has become standard in recent Houthi operations, the group had not immediately claimed responsibility — though they typically acknowledge attacks within days.
The overnight assault is the latest in a pattern of Houthi strikes that have escalated since U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran began in February 2026. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, which treats an armed attack on any one signatory as an attack on all three. The pact's military chiefs met in Riyadh on Friday — the day before the overnight attack — to review the security situation and vow immediate implementation of collective defense commitments.
The Makkah Pact was designed for exactly this scenario. Saturday's overnight attack tested whether it will hold.
