Saudi Arabia intercepts drone as regional tensions flare over Hormuz explosions

Saudi Arabia’s coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a drone over the Riyadh area on Saturday, 31 October, as regional tensions escalated following missile strikes in Yemen and naval explosions in the Strait of Hormuz. Colonel Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, confirmed the interception but did not provide details on the drone’s origin or potential casualties. Missile strikes target Aden The aerial interception coincided with a renewed assault on Yemen’s interim capital, Aden. Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched ballistic missiles targeting Aden International Airport and the presidential palace on Friday, 30 October. According to Colonel Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen’s Saudi-backed military, the strikes hit areas previously targeted by the group earlier this month. While a government official reported no immediate casualties, the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a travel warning, ordering non-emergency government personnel to depart the Kingdom due to heightened security risks. Tanker explosions in Strait of Hormuz In the Persian Gulf, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed that three oil tankers struck naval mines on Friday, 30 October. State media reported that a supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of oil exploded and caught fire after allegedly using an "unauthorized route" in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) simultaneously rejected separate Iranian claims that the IRGC had destroyed…