Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted 11 Houthi drones and a ballistic missile

Saudi Arabia postpones UN global data forum, statistical forum to 2027

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi group said on Thursday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed 11 drones and a ballistic missile.

The drones were intercepted over Riyadh, Medina, the Eastern Province and the southern region, while the ballistic missile was intercepted as it headed toward Najran in southwestern Saudi Arabia, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in statements posted on the X.

In its latest statement on Thursday, the coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed two drones launched toward the southern region.

التحالف:

الدفاع الجوي اعترض ودمر صاروخ باليستي أطلقته الميليشيا الحوثية باتجاه الرياض. pic.twitter.com/PzRExEmYbM

— المتحدث الرسمي باسم قوات التحالف (@CJFCSpox) October 23, 2026

Earlier, it reported the interception of four drones over Riyadh and Medina, one over Riyadh and four over the Eastern Province.

The statements did not provide details on where the drones were launched from or whether the interceptions caused damage or injuries.

The announcements came a day after Saudi authorities reported that four people had been killed in attacks in the country’s Eastern Province.

Two died from falling debris after air defences thwarted an attempted drone strike on an Aramco oil facility, while two others were killed in an attack targeting King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

Read: Saudi-led coalition intercepts, destroys drone in Riyadh region

The coalition also reported intercepting seven drones Wednesday, including one heading toward the southern region and six over Medina and the Eastern Province.

Separately, Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics has postponed the United Nations Global Data Forum and the Second Saudi Statistical Forum, previously scheduled for November 9 to 12, 2026, in Riyadh, to 2027, the authority said in a statement.

Oil spill from tanker hits Umm Al Quwain coast, beaches shut

An oil spill from a tanker was detected off the coast of Umm Al Quwain, prompting containment operations and environmental assessments, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said on Friday.

The ministry said all beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain had been temporarily closed until technical teams completed their assessments and determined the necessary safety and marine protection measures.

The ministry also urged fishermen and other sea users to avoid affected areas and follow official instructions.

The announcement followed reports of a strange odour by residents in some emirates on social media. The ministry said that odours reported by residents in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain posed no health risks to them.