Saudi-led coalition air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis toward the capital Riyadh early on Sunday, November 15, and downed drones over the kingdom's oil-rich Eastern Province, the coalition said — the second straight day of Houthi fire aimed at the kingdom.

Source: Reuters, Nov 15, 2026, via The Business Standard

"Air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi terrorist militia toward Riyadh," coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said in a statement posted on X early on Sunday, according to Anadolu Agency's reporting of the announcement.

Source: Anadolu Agency, Nov 15, 2026, via Finwire

Reuters reported that three drones were also intercepted in the Eastern Province, the centre of Saudi Arabia's oil industry. Anadolu's summary of the coalition statements put the drone count at two. Neither wire reported any casualties or damage from Sunday's interceptions, and the coalition gave no immediate word of injuries.

Second salvo in two days

Sunday's missiles followed a Saturday salvo in which the coalition said it destroyed two Houthi drones launched toward Riyadh and the kingdom's southern region — a separate attack Awaaz Punjab reported on November 14. The Houthis, who control most of Yemen's populous north including the capital Sanaa, have intensified attacks on the Saudi capital in recent days, Reuters said.

Saturday's drone interceptions over Riyadh and the south were reported separately. Read the November 14 report

The latest salvos extend a weeks-long campaign. On November 11 the coalition intercepted three Houthi cruise missiles aimed at the Riyadh region and drones over Makkah and the south, and on November 8 debris from an interception damaged an administrative building of state oil company Saudi Aramco in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District, with no injuries reported. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, the East-West oil pipeline and energy sites in the east and south, according to Saudi authorities.

2Ballistic missiles intercepted toward Riyadh on Sunday
3Drones Reuters says were downed over the Eastern Province
26Deaths Saudi authorities attribute to Houthi missile and drone attacks since September 23

What is solid

  • The coalition announced early Sunday that its air defences intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh — reported by both Reuters and Anadolu Agency.
  • The Sunday salvo came a day after the coalition reported destroying two Houthi drones over Riyadh and the southern region on Saturday.
  • No casualties or damage from Sunday's interceptions were reported by either wire.

What is only claimed

  • The number of drones downed on Sunday: Reuters reported three drones intercepted in the Eastern Province, while Anadolu's summary of the coalition statements reported two drones.
  • The Houthis had not issued a claim for the Sunday salvo in the reports available at publication; earlier Houthi claims about strikes on Riyadh airport and the East-West pipeline are the group's own statements and are treated as claims, not confirmed results.

Why the Eastern Province matters

The Eastern Province is Saudi Arabia's economic powerhouse and the heart of its oil industry, and it has faced multiple Houthi attacks in the past few weeks, Reuters noted. Lakhs of Indian workers — including many Punjabis — live and work in Saudi Arabia, with large numbers in the Eastern Province oil belt and in Riyadh, so every new salvo aimed at the capital and the oil region is watched closely by families back home. No Indian casualty or evacuation advisory was reported in connection with Sunday's interceptions.

What happens next: watch for a Houthi statement claiming or denying the Sunday launch, any coalition update on debris or damage, and any effect on flights through Riyadh and oil-market trading when Gulf markets open. Awaaz Punjab will update this story if the coalition or the Houthis issue verified new statements.