An air defense system operated by Greek military personnel in Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles launched from Yemen on Saturday targeting oil refineries in Yanbu, Greek security sources told Reuters.
Saudi Civil Defense had issued an emergency alert in Yanbu to warn residents of danger.
“The attack was launched with two ballistic missiles and targeted the refineries in Yanbu,” one of the sources said, adding that the missiles had been launched from Yemen.
A second source confirmed the interception of the missiles.
Greece has deployed a US-made Patriot air defense battery, operated by Greek personnel, in Saudi Arabia since 2021 under an agreement to help protect the kingdom’s energy infrastructure. Saturday’s interception was the second time that Greek personnel had operated the system.
Saudi-led coalition carries out strikes on Houthi military sites
This comes after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it had carried out strikes on Houthi military sites in Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate on Friday, saying the sites were used to threaten commercial shipping.
The Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV said Saudi strikes hit facilities belonging to the state telecommunications corporation in Hodeidah city. The broadcaster also said Saudi forces targeted Kamaran Island, off Yemen’s western coast.
In a statement, Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, said on Saturday that Hodeidah port had not been targeted and that all Yemeni ports, including Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Salif, remained open to maritime navigation and were receiving commercial ships.
Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam accused Saudi Arabia of continuing a siege of Yemen and stated that despite statements about defending Yemen’s sovereignty, Saudi Arabia is adopting the same method that he said Israel uses in its wars, Iran International reported on Saturday.
The Houthis also declared that Saudi Arabia has turned itself into an open enemy of Yemen.
No strikes reported in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait
CENTCOM made no announcements of new strikes against Iran on Friday night or early Saturday morning, after announcing strikes for 13 consecutive nights.
Additionally, no strikes or sirens appeared to have been reported by Bahrain, Jordan, or Kuwait overnight. The three countries are ones Iran has targeted in retaliation for US strikes, and contain US military bases.
