Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles as France pledges troops to protect Yanbu port

Missile interceptions and port targets

Saudi air defenses intercepted six ballistic missiles on Thursday, September 24, halting attacks aimed at the southern province of Taif and the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility for the assault, asserting that they launched both missiles and drones against Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and targeted an unspecified sensitive location in Riyadh. Saudi authorities confirmed the missile interceptions over Taif and Yanbu but did not report any confirmed strikes, damage, or casualties in Riyadh or the coastal facilities. Shortly before the interceptions, the Saudi Civil Defence issued emergency alerts for several regions, including Mecca, Yanbu, Taif, Jeddah, and Tabuk. The warnings were lifted within minutes, following a pattern where civil alerts have closely preceded cross-border missile launches. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki stated that Saudi-led forces would respond firmly to the attacks.

Escalations and violations by the terrorist Houthi militia will be dealt with firmly.

French military deployment to Yanbu

Following the missile attacks against western Saudi energy infrastructure, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will deploy armed forces to protect Saudi installations. Speaking in a television interview on Thursday, Macron confirmed that Paris plans to send military assets, including soldiers, radar units, and air defense systems, to defend the oil terminal, pipeline, and refinery at Yanbu. The deployment addresses growing vulnerabilities at Red Sea export facilities as European energy prices face upward pressure from the military conflict between the United States and Iran. The Yanbu port serves as a primary export conduit for Saudi crude oil, allowing shipments to bypass southern choke points.

Regional diplomacy and Iranian response

Saudi officials urged international allies to assist in countering regional maritime threats. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated that the broader international community must assume responsibility for containing Houthi military actions along trade corridors.

The Houthis are threatening the Bab el-Mandeb, threatening international shipping, are a risk to international security and stability.

Addressing the missile strikes during an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected assertions that Tehran commands the group's operations in the region.

The Houthis are responsible for their own actions. They don't take directions from us as those who are resisting in the region, based on the situations that have been imposed on them.

Ground fighting and Red Sea maritime blockade

The aerial strikes coincided with escalating ground combat in Yemen between Houthi fighters and forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition, which has intervened in the country since 2015. A casualty tally compiled from seven sources who spoke to AFP confirmed that recent fighting has killed dozens of fighters across both sides. The clashes form part of an expansion of hostilities that began in July, when a multi-year truce broke down and pulled Yemen into the wider regional war. Since July, Houthi forces have enforced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia by targeting commercial oil tankers, striking Saudi territory, and taking territorial control over sections of Yemen's Red Sea coastline. These territorial positions strengthen the control of Iran and its allies over critical Gulf fuel transit routes.