Saudis intercept Houthi missile in Medina region

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis on Thursday said it had intercepted a cruise missile in the Medina region -- home to one of Islam's holiest cities, but the Houthis denied carrying out any such attack.

"Interception and destruction of a cruise missile in the Medina region," coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki wrote on X.

The Houthis quickly responded by saying they did not target the region on Thursday, and had previously vowed to spare the holy cities of Medina and Mecca.


Saudi Arabia has in recent days come under sustained attack from the Houthis, including a strike on Riyadh's international airport that was the kingdom's deadliest in years, as the war with the group escalates.

EU-Gulf summit postponed

A summit between the European Union and Gulf countries in Riyadh has been postponed, Brussels said on Thursday, as Saudi Arabia faces sustained attacks from Yemen's Houthis.

"The second Summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, originally planned for 24 October 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed," said the European Council representing the 27-nation bloc's member states. "A new date will be announced in due course." Agencies