Saudi coalition intercepts ballistic missiles, drones fired toward Khamis Mushait

Saudi-led Coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi militia toward Riyadh early Friday, the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said.
In a post on X, coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki Al-Maliki said the missile was shot down shortly after 4am.
Earlier, at around 1am, air defenses in the Kingdom intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by the "terrorist Houthi militia" toward the southern region, Al-Maliki said. The coalition also said on Friday that Khamis Mushait was targeted with a ballistic missile, which was also intercepted.
The latest attempted attacks come amid a sharp escalation in cross-border strikes by the Iran-backed Houthis. Coalition figures show the militia launched at least 14 ballistic missiles and more than 60 armed drones targeting the Kingdom during October.
According to coalition reports, missiles have targeted Riyadh, Khamis Mushayt, Najran and the Eastern Province. A cruise missile fired toward the Madinah region on Oct. 15 was also intercepted.
The Houthis have increasingly targeted airports, energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure across Saudi Arabia. Coalition and official government reports carried by the Saudi Press Agency say attacks this month have killed 24 people and injured at least 374 others.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh recorded the highest toll, with 18 deaths and more than 333 injuries during a series of missile and drone attacks between Oct. 7 and Oct. 11.
The deadliest strike occurred on Oct. 10, when a ballistic missile hit an area between Terminals 3 and 4 at the airport, killing 13 people and wounding 309 others. Additional casualties and damage were caused by falling debris from intercepted missiles and drones.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the day condemned the Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, including one at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport, that caused casualties as well as injured two Bangladeshi nationals.
Bangladesh also expressed heartfelt sympathies to the affected families and solidarity with the government and people of Saudi Arabia. Bangladesh also called for an immediate cessation of all attacks and urged a peaceful resolution of the situation through diplomatic efforts, according to a ministry press release.

Netanyahu threatens major West Bank operation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel’s army is prepared for a “large-scale operation” and will implement a “full lockdown” in the occupied West Bank after Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in a gun battle in Hebron. 
The Israeli army says two soldiers were killed and three injured during the shooting.
Netanyahu, whose right-wing coalition may lose its majority after Tuesday's election, visited the site of the attack and said the military would force Palestinians out of a Hebron neighbourhood from which he said the attackers had emerged.
He likened the tactic to Israel's devastating military assaults on two Palestinian refugee camps in 2025, operations that displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians. Human Rights Watch said those expulsions amounted to war crimes, something Israel rejects.
"That is exactly what we will do here," Netanyahu said. "We will evacuate the residents, we will go house-to-house, we will also confiscate the weapons there, and all terrorist infrastructures will be dealt with and destroyed."

Trump weighs quick end to Iran war

President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States could end the war with Iran quickly, but questioned whether Washington should seek a swift conclusion or allow the conflict to gradually wind down.
"We could end it very quickly," Trump said. "Do we want to finish it or let it wither is the question."

European powers ready to negotiate with Iran

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that a renewed attack on Iran would exacerbate tensions and further expand the conflict, adding that diplomacy and dialogue were the only way to end the war.
Speaking after meeting his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Britain and Italy in Istanbul, Fidan said none of the countries in the meeting approved another military intervention or attack on Iran.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Friday that Germany, France and Britain were ready to negotiate with Iran to rule out its acquisition of nuclear weapons.
He called for support for Saudi Arabia and Yemen to defend themselves and paving the way for concrete negotiations with the Houthis to resume.