Iran is behind missile attacks on Saudi Arabia: Coalition

People check the damage after debris from ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi militia fell onto a house in Riyadh on Monday. (Reuters)
Updated 27 March 2018
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Iran is behind missile attacks on Saudi Arabia: Coalition

RIYADH: The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia on Monday said the debris of missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen carried the features of weapons manufactured near Tehran.
The coalition lashed out at the Iranian regime for providing the Houthi militias with sophisticated arms and ballistic missiles, thus undermining regional security.
At a news conference on Monday night, which was attended by ambassadors of friendly nations and members of the Saudi-led military alliance, coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki displayed the debris of the Houthi missiles that targeted Riyadh.
He said forensic analysis of the wreckage of the missiles showed they were supplied to the Houthi militias by Iran.
During his fact-finding presentation, the coalition spokesman shared a smuggled missile from Iran which was seized by the coalition forces before making its way to the Houthi militias in Yemen.
“These ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabia were a serious escalation and a threat to regional and international security,” he said.
“The hostile action by the Iranian regime in smuggling arms to Houthi militias ... only prove that the Iranian regime continues to support the armed militants with military capabilities ... allowing it to demonstrate its threat to regional as well as international security by disturbing peace and spreading chaos.”
Al-Maliki noted that 78 percent of 104 ballistic missiles that have been launched targeting the Kingdom came from Yemen’s Saadah and north of Amran areas.
The Houthi militants are also using Sanaa airport to launch missile attacks on Saudi territory, he told the audience.
Speaking to the media a day after the missile attacks, Al-Maliki shared the details of them. He said seven ballistic missiles with the fingerprint of the Iranian regime were fired by the Houthis toward various areas in the Kingdom. Three missiles were fired toward Riyadh, two targeted Jazan and one each were towards Najran and Khamis Mushayt.
Missiles towards Riyadh were aimed at residential areas in which one Egyptian civilian worker was killed and two were injured.
These missile attacks were a clear violation of international law, he said, urging the international community to take note of the matter in finding an amicable solution for peace in Yemen as per the UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
He said that it is the international community’s role to confront Houthi attacks and hold Iran accountable for them.
However, unfazed by the missile attacks, he said, “coalition efforts to support legitimacy will continue till complete restoration of legitimacy in Yemen.”
He said the Kingdom is providing relief to all needy people in Yemen without discrimination, as its goal is to restore peace and stability.
King Salman recently directed the deposit of $2 billion in Yemen’s Central Bank to save the Yemeni economy and currency from collapse owing to the ongoing crisis and the disturbance by the Houthis.
The deposit has helped curb the continued deterioration of the Yemeni currency, which recovered part of its lost value against other foreign currencies. The banking sector predicted that the deposit would stabilize the Yemeni market, which is significant in restoring normalcy.
Al-Maliki, however, made it clear that the coalition countries have the right to defend and protect their territories as well as their interests.
“We reserve the right to respond against Iran at the right time and right place,” he said. “We will take necessary measures as per international law to deal with the barbaric attacks.”


Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers food to needy

Updated 11 June 2025
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers food to needy

  • The distribution is a part of the 2025 emergency food and clothing aid project in Lebanon

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed 360 food packages to vulnerable individuals in Lebanon’s cities of Tripoli and Jbeil, benefiting 1,800 people.

The distribution is a part of the 2025 emergency food and clothing aid project in Lebanon, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the charity distributed 1,780 sacrificial animals in the Al-Madinah and Al-Wadi districts of Yemen’s Marib governorate on Sunday.

The initiative benefited 3,560 families under an Eid Al-Adha project in Yemen.


Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials

Updated 11 June 2025
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Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Mexico has presented his credentials to the North American state’s foreign ministry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Fahad bin Ali Al-Manawer handed over a copy of his credentials to Ambassador Jonathan Chait Auerbach, the director general of protocol at the ministry, at a reception held on Tuesday. 
The diplomats also reviewed relations between their nations at the meeting.
Al-Manawer took his oath of office in from to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March, in a ceremony attended by the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.


Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

Updated 10 June 2025
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Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

  • Forum hosts global leaders and conflict mediators
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan will meet foreign officials

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday to take part in the Oslo Forum.

The annual event, organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Switzerland, hosts global leaders and conflict mediators.

Prince Faisal will meet foreign officials to strengthen relations with the Kingdom and discuss various regional and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


What pilgrims are sharing online after their Hajj journey

Updated 10 June 2025
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What pilgrims are sharing online after their Hajj journey

  • Worshippers take to social media to share profound experiences with loved ones
  • Posting online becomes a way to process the weight of Hajj for many

RIYADH: For many pilgrims, the spiritual journey of Hajj does not end when they leave the holy sites. It continues — quietly, intentionally — in the days and weeks that follow.

Across Saudi Arabia, young pilgrims are using social media to process the weight of Hajj and share the experience with loved ones.

Noor Ahmad, 21, did not plan to post during her pilgrimage. But after she returned, the urge to share came naturally.

After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments. But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?

Noor Ahmad

“After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments,” she said. “But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?”

She described how people responded in varied ways. “Those who had gone before felt nostalgic and started sharing their own stories. Others — those who hadn’t been yet — expressed their longing. It became this moment of connection.”

For Noor, the decision to post was not about aesthetics. “It’s a monumental event. Maybe I could inspire someone who’s hesitant to go. Maybe they’ll see what I saw — and want to experience it for themselves.

“It was my way of saying thank you”

Shatha Al-Jadaan, 25, took a different approach to sharing, after taking a digital detox.

I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.

Shatha Al-Jadaan

“During Hajj, I decided to partially fast from social media. I used only the essentials,” she said. “After I returned, I posted a thread to my close friends explaining where I’d been and shared some of the most meaningful moments.”

The response was full of prayers and warmth. “People were kind, supportive, and curious. But what mattered most to me was that I used the thread to say thank you — to the organizers, to the volunteers, and to Allah.”

She spoke about how she found value in using digital platforms to document something greater than herself.

“I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.”

Salem Al-Khudair, 28, recorded a voice note to his family group chat while performing the rites.

“I just couldn’t find the words to write. So I recorded myself speaking right after standing in Arafat. I sent it to my family WhatsApp group. My mom was emotional. My dad said, ‘May God accept from you.’ That was enough.”

In an age of curated content, Hajj posts tend to stand out for their sincerity. Pilgrims often strip away the filters, metaphors and trend-driven formats, and just speak from the heart.

Noura Al-Dosari, 23, uploaded a private Instagram story highlight with no captions. “Just visuals. No filters. No hashtags,” she said. “It wasn’t for followers. It was for me. For reflection. A digital bookmark of who I became.”

Some write long captions, others simply post a photo of their ihram folded neatly back into a drawer.

But all of them carry a silent message: I went. I came back different.

Many pilgrims use their posts to recall moments of physical hardship that brought emotional breakthroughs — the heat, the long walks, the brief but powerful connections with strangers.

Others use it to highlight the seamless organization of the pilgrimage as a reminder of how far the experience has evolved.

Amani Al-Saad, 26, used X to share a short story about a volunteer who helped her carry her bag in Muzdalifah. “She didn’t speak much, but she smiled at me and said, ‘This is what we’re here for.’ That stuck with me. I wrote about it as a reminder to myself — that sometimes the smallest moments hold the most meaning.”

While digital connections are increasingly common, most pilgrims emphasize that the real processing happens offline — in quiet conversations with family, in their prayer rooms, or on long drives home.

“I didn’t post to perform,” said Al-Jadaan. “I posted to remember.”

 


National Water Co. ready for post-Hajj season

Updated 10 June 2025
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National Water Co. ready for post-Hajj season

  • The company added the plan included securing water storage and coordinating with water production and distribution systems

MADINAH: The National Water Co. has confirmed it is operationally ready for the post-Hajj season.

The company said it would distribute more than 630,000 cubic meters of potable water daily to pilgrims at the Prophet’s Mosque and throughout Madinah and said its readiness built on ongoing efforts to serve pilgrims and visitors.

The plan involves more than 1,200 employees, including technical, administrative and engineering staff, working to provide water and environmental services.

The company added the plan included securing water storage and coordinating with water production and distribution systems, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Water will be supplied daily during the post-Hajj season through continuous pumping to the central area and religious sites. Chemical and biological tests will be conducted to ensure compliance with water quality standards.

The company said its smart operation system continues to manage and monitor Madinah’s water network, overseeing water pressure and quality in pipelines and reservoirs.