Drone destroyed in Riyadh region as explosions rock southern Yemen

Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Riyadh region, spokesman Major-General Turki al-Maliki said in a post on X. Al Jazeera, meanwhile, said that violent explosions have been reported in southern Yemen, between the provinces of Lahij and Aden. Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi has condemned the latest Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Riyadh earlier said parts of two ballistic missiles fell in Mecca, with shrapnel from the interceptions falling on Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh. In a statement, AlBudaiwi said the attack “represents a blatant disregard for the lives and safety of civilians and a criminal escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region”. He added that “exposing Mecca to the dangers of these attacks constitutes a grave violation of the sanctity of holy sites”.