Saudi Air Defenses Intercept Missiles Fired from Yemen Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions

Saudi Arabia's air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday, targeting oil refineries in Yanbu on the Red Sea. The Greek security sources told Reuters that the missiles were shot down by a US-made Patriot air defense battery operated by Greek military personnel.

The missile attack comes a day after the US launched fresh airstrikes on Iran. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the intercepted missiles.

Saudi civil defense had issued several warnings for Yanbu and later said the danger had passed. A warning was also issued for the port city of Jizan, about 1,000 km south of Yanbu.

US President Donald Trump has vowed 'major military punishment' for Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen after they claimed responsibility for striking two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea on Thursday. The Houthis have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, which has been diverting millions of barrels of oil by pipeline each day to skirt Iran's near-total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military had launched air strikes on Iran late on Thursday and early on Friday, with Trump saying he was 'locked and loaded' for more attacks. However, there were no reports of fresh US strikes on Saturday.