Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles as France pledges military support

Saudi Arabian air defences intercepted six Houthi ballistic missiles on Thursday, 24 September, following a series of emergency alerts issued for Mecca, Jeddah, and the strategic oil terminal of Yanbu. The Saudi-led coalition confirmed the successful interception of projectiles targeting Taif and Yanbu, stating that violations by Houthi forces would be met with firm military action. France Pledges Military Assets to Yanbu As regional tensions escalate, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday, 25 September, that France will deploy soldiers, radar systems, and air defence units to protect Yanbu. The coastal city serves as Saudi Arabia's primary Red Sea export hub and is the terminus for the East-West pipeline, which allows the kingdom to bypass the Strait of Hormuz when shipping crude to European markets. The deployment follows a Houthi-imposed naval blockade on Saudi Arabia that has targeted tankers and seized territory along the Red Sea coast. The Saudi Civil Defence briefly issued warnings for the holy city of Mecca, as well as the Tabuk and Jeddah regions, before lifting the alerts minutes later. Riyadh previously accused the group of targeting Mecca with a drone last week, an allegation the Houthis denied. Heavy Casualties in Yemen Ground Battles Concurrent with the aerial attacks, intense fighting in Yemen has resulted in at least 150 deaths over a 24-hour period. According to military sources and an AFP tally, 98 government-aligned soldiers and 52 Houthi…