# Saudi Arabia Intercepts Houthi Missiles, Debris Falls Near Holy Sites

> Saudi Arabia reported intercepting ballistic missiles and drones launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi group on October 24 and 25, 2026, with debris falling in areas near Mecca and Medina.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-25T14:24:50.845996Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/saudi-arabia-intercepts-houthi-missiles-debris-falls-near-holy-sites-fe18fac5

Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles and drones launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi group on October 24 and 25, 2026 [4][10]. Debris from these interceptions reportedly fell in several regions, including areas near Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina [4][9]. The Houthi group, however, denied targeting these religious cities [5][6].

This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, bringing concerns about the deliberate targeting of sacred religious sites, and effectively shattering a UN-brokered truce that had largely held since 2022 [7][10][11].

## What the Records Show

On October 24, 2026, the General Directorate of Civil Defense in Saudi Arabia stated that its teams in the Makkah and Madinah regions responded to falling debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles [4]. Parts of these intercepted missiles fell in Wadi al-Mughammas in Mecca, as well as in the Al-Nuzha neighborhood in Jeddah, Wadi Jalil in Taif, and Masturah Center in Rabigh Governorate [4]. Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, condemned these attacks, warning that the security and sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques remain a “red line that must not be breached” [1][2][3].

## Timeline of Attacks

On Saturday, October 24, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense reported intercepting two ballistic missiles aimed toward the Mecca and Medina regions [2][4]. Shrapnel from these interceptions was found in various locations, including Wadi al-Mughammas near Mecca and in the Jeddah, Taif, and Rabigh areas [4][5]. The Houthis immediately denied that they had targeted Mecca and Medina [5][6].

The following day, Sunday, October 25, the Saudi-led coalition reported further interceptions over Riyadh and southern parts of the country [10][11]. The coalition stated that two drones and a ballistic missile were launched toward Riyadh, and a cruise missile targeted Khamis Mushait [11][13]. Later, the coalition announced the interception of ten additional ballistic missiles fired toward southern Saudi Arabia [11][13].

## Conflicting Claims

The Houthi group denied targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina [5][6]. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated, "What the Saudi enemy is promoting about our forces targeting towards the holy areas of Mecca and Medina is a great and huge lie" [6][8]. The Houthis asserted that their military operations specifically target Saudi oil facilities and military installations, and that they publicly announce such attacks when they occur [5][7].

## The Truce Shattered

This renewed and escalated conflict has effectively ended a UN-brokered truce that had largely maintained calm between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi forces since 2022 [7][10][11]. The ceasefire agreement had largely halted cross-border attacks between the warring parties [7].

## What We Could Not Confirm

PrimaryBrief could not confirm if the Houthi group intentionally aimed its ballistic missiles at the holy cities of Mecca or Medina, or if the reported debris falls were a consequence of the Saudi interceptions. We also could not confirm the specific Saudi oil or military facilities that the Houthis claimed to have targeted on October 24, beyond general references.

## Evidence cited
1. (October 25 2026) Sheikh Al-Sudais: Repeated targeting of holy sites exposes Houthi militia's 'criminal approach'; As coalition air defenses foil Houthi attacks, Riyadh announces partial reopening of airport. Updated 25 October 2026 03:36. Arab News. October 24, 2026 20:28. Follow. MAKKAH: The head of Islam's holiest sites on Sunday condemned repeated ballistic missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia toward Makkah and Madinah, warning that the security and sanctity of the Two Holy Mo (arabnews.com) — https://arabnews.com/
2. (October 25 2026) “Criminal Approach” Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, President of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Sunday condemned repeated ballistic missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthis toward Makkah and Madinah, warning that the security and sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques remain a “red line that must not be breached.” He said the persistent assaults reveal Houthis' “criminal approach” and malicious intent toward Muslims and their sacred places, Arab New (ummid.com) — https://ummid.com/
3. (October 25 2026) Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Sudais, president of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, condemned Houthi attacks targeting Mecca and Medina on Sunday. He called them a flagrant violation of the sanctities of the two holy cities, a breach of Islamic law, and an act devoid of conscience. “This criminal act is a flagrant violation of the sanctities of Mecca and Medina, as well as a violation of the principles of Islamic sharia which has prohibited transgression and de (kurdistan24.net) — https://kurdistan24.net/
4. (October 25 2026) Riyadh, October 24, 2026, SPA -- The General Directorate of Civil Defense stated that Civil Defense teams in Makkah and Madinah regions responded on Saturday to falling debris from the interception of two ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward the two regions. Parts of the intercepted missiles fell in Wadi Al-Mughammas in Makkah, while interception debris fell in Al-Nuzha neighborhood in Jeddah Governorate, Wadi Jalil in Taif Governorate, and Mastura (spa.gov.sa) — https://spa.gov.sa/
5. (October 24 2026) Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group on Saturday denied reports that it had attacked Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest cities, after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted missiles launched towards the regions and reported falling debris in several locations. The Houthis said their military operations target Saudi oil facilities and military installations, adding that they publicly announce such attacks when they take place. The denial came amid a fresh escalation in cross-border ho (indiatoday.in) — https://indiatoday.in/
6. (October 25 2026) 4. Houthis deny targeting Mecca and Medina. Houthis denied targeting Mecca and Medina after Saudi authorities reported responding to falling shrapnel from intercepted missiles in the two regions, AFP reported. "What the Saudi enemy is promoting about our forces targeting towards the holy areas of Mecca and Medina is a great and huge lie," Saree said.
...Houthis claim attacks on Saudi oil sites, Riyadh airport; Saudi reports debris in Mecca, Medina, but Iran-backed group denies  (hindustantimes.com) — https://hindustantimes.com/
7. (October 25 2026) The Houthis later denied attacking Mecca and Medina, saying their operations “target Saudi oil facilities and military bases”. Earlier on Saturday, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense briefly issued alerts warning residents of potential danger in Taif and Yanbu, as well as in Mecca and Jeddah. About 10 minutes later, the agency said the threat had passed.
...The renewed fighting has shattered a 2022 UN-brokered truce that largely halted cross-border attacks between the Saudi-led coali (thearabweekly.com) — https://thearabweekly.com/
8. (October 24 2026) Yemen24 October, 20263 min read. Houthis Strike Saudi Airports And Oil Facilities, Saudi Intercepts Missiles Over Mecca And Medina. 8outlets comparedA wider view of the story. 4 West Asian2 Western Mainstream1 Asian1 Other. This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the ... Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree denied targeting Islam's holiest cities Mecca and Medina after Saudi authorities reported  (newscord.org) — https://newscord.org/
9. (October 24 2026) ... Mecca on October 20, 2026. Photograph: (AFP). Story highlights. Saudi Arabia reported missile debris in the Mecca and Medina regions after interceptions, while Yemen's Houthis denied targeting the two holy cities and claimed attacks on Saudi airports and oil infrastructure. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group launched fresh attacks on Saudi Arabia and areas controlled by Yemen's internationally recognised government on Saturday (Oct 24), escalating tensions after accusing the  (wionews.com) — https://wionews.com/
10. (October 25 2026) A Houthi supporter wearing a military uniform holds a mock missile as he joins Houthi supporters in a rally to show support to the movement as fighting intensifies across several Yemeni fronts, in Sanaa, Yemen October 9, 2026. Saudi Arabia intercepted drones and missiles over Riyadh and southern parts of the country on Sunday as fighting with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis continued, the Saudi-led coalition said. The coalition said two drones and a ballistic missile were launched (iranintl.com) — https://iranintl.com/
11. (October 25 2026) Oct 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia intercepted drones and missiles over its capital Riyadh and southern areas on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said, as fighting w… Leggi.
...The coalition said two drones and a ballistic missile were launched towards Riyadh, and a cruise missile towards the southern city of Khamis Mushait. It later said it intercepted ten ballistic missiles fired towards southern Saudi Arabia.
...The renewed fighting in Yemen has shattered a UN-brokered  (internazionale.it) — https://internazionale.it/
12. (October 25 2026) Oct 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia intercepted drones and missiles over its capital Riyadh and southern areas on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said, as fighting with the Iran-aligned Houthis persisted. The conflict has become an increasingly destabilising front in the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, turning US ally Saudi Arabia into a pressure point in the wider war. On Sunday, Saudi civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts for Riyadh, Abha and Khamis Mushai (investing.com) — https://investing.com/
13. (October 25 2026) Saudi-led coalition intercepts 10 Houthi ballistic missiles targeting southern Saudi Arabia. Latest development comes after coalition intercepted Houthi cruise missile over southwestern Saudi Arabia. Serdar Dincel. 25 October 2026•Update: 25 October 2026. Content media. ISTANBUL. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Sunday that it intercepted and destroyed 10 ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group from Yemen toward Saudi Arabia's southern region. Coalition spokesman T (aa.com.tr) — https://aa.com.tr/
14. (October 25 2026) Houthis launch attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Aden. Houthi missiles reportedly struck a number of targets in Yemen, including Aden's airport and a coastguard base. Listen (3 mins). Save. Share Houthis launch attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Aden on social media. Share. Add Al Jazeera on Google. Aden airport. Yemen's internationally recognised government said the Houthis have attacked Aden airport four times this month [File: AFP]. By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP. Published  (aljazeera.com) — https://aljazeera.com/
15. (October 24 2026) Yemen's Houthis launched fresh attacks on Saudi Arabia and the seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government on Saturday (October 24, 2026) after blaming the kingdom for strikes that the Iran-backed group said killed 17 people. Saudi Arabia and the government it backs in Yemen have come under sustained attack in recent weeks from the Houthis as a years-long truce broke down in the summer, shifting the focus of the wider U.S.-Iran war that erupted in February.
...The Sau (thehindu.com) — https://thehindu.com/
16. (October 25 2026) RIYADH: Yemen's Houthis launched wide-ranging strikes across swathes of southern Saudi Arabia on Sunday (Oct 25), as the kingdom announced the partial reopening of Riyadh international airport despite repeated attacks by the group. Alerts warning of possible attacks were activated across the kingdom's south throughout the day, with the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis saying at least 10 ballistic missiles were intercepted.
...The Saudi civil defence agency said (channelnewsasia.com) — https://channelnewsasia.com/
17. (October 25 2026) Published October 25, 2026 01:30 PM PHT

 RIYADH — Riyadh's international airport said flights would resume on Sunday after a two-week closure following strikes from Yemen's Houthis on the Saudi capital, though the Iran-backed group warned of more to come. The Flight Radar monitoring site showed a plane taking off from Riyadh airport early Sunday, heading to the Saudi city of Jeddah. Saudi Arabia, along with Yemen's internationally recognized government that it backs, has faced (abs-cbn.com) — https://abs-cbn.com/
18. (October 24 2026) The official spokesperson for Civil Defense said emergency teams in the Makkah and Madinah regions responded to the falling debris following the interception of the two missiles on October 24. According to the statement, parts of the intercepted ballistic missiles fell in Wadi Al-Mughammis in Makkah, while interception debris landed in the Al-Nuzha neighborhood of Jeddah, Wadi Jalil in Taif and the Masturah area of Rabigh governorate.
...JEDDAH — Saudi Civil Defense announced S (saudigazette.com.sa) — https://saudigazette.com.sa/
19. (October 24 2026) Last updated: 24 October 2026. Missile debris fell in four places in western Saudi Arabia on Saturday 24 October 2026, after two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militia in Yemen were intercepted. The Saudi Civil Defense said the missiles were fired towards the Makkah and Madinah regions, and that fragments came down in Makkah, Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh. The statement did not report any casualties. Where the debris fell. According to the Civil Defense spokesperson, inter (saudilifeguide.com) — https://saudilifeguide.com/
20. (October 24 2026) Debris from the interception of two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi militia fell in several locations across Saudi Arabia's Makkah and Madinah regions on Saturday, the Civil Defense said. (Supplied). Short Url. https://arab.news/psnt5. Updated 24 October 2026. Arab News. October 24, 202622:39. Follow. Two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia were intercepted; Some of the debris fell in Wadi Al-Mughammas, which is just 20 kilometers fro (arabnews.pk) — https://arabnews.pk/
21. (October 24 2026) Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi militia toward the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, with debris from the interceptions falling in several locations across the kingdom, according to Saudi Civil Defense. Parts of the two intercepted missiles fell in Wadi al-Mughammas in Mecca, Saudi Civil Defense said. For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. The authority also reported falling debris in Wadi Ja (alarabiya.net) — https://alarabiya.net/
22. (October 24 2026) The Maritime Phase — Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz

 The campaign opened at sea. The Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July 2026, breaking the UN-brokered truce that had held since 2022 (BBC, 2026-10-11). The immediate effect fell on the Red Sea. Saudi crude loadings at Yanbu — the kingdom's primary Red Sea export terminal — fell from approximately 3.8 million barrels per day to 1.5 million bpd by August, according to Kpler data cited by BigOceanData and Lloyd' (houseofsaud.com) — https://houseofsaud.com/
23. (October 24 2026) The Houthis warned airlines earlier this month against using Saudi airspace, exempting only the airspace over Makkah and Madinah, as they intensified attacks on the kingdom. The renewed fighting has shattered a 2022 UN-brokered truce that largely halted cross-border attacks between the Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen's internationally recognised government, and the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa. The escalation has opened another front in the US-Israeli war on Ir (bdnews24.com) — https://bdnews24.com/