Saudi air defences intercept Houthi missile as Dakar Rally relocates from Saudi Arabia

Explosions were heard over Riyadh on Sunday as Saudi air defences intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile and two drones aimed at Riyadh Province. King Khalid International Airport resumed limited operations following a two-week closure caused by earlier Houthi attacks, according to reports from AFP and ABS-CBN News. The interceptions demonstrate the ongoing disruption that the conflict has caused to Saudi infrastructure and civilian activities.

The security situation has prompted significant consequences for international events. Dakar Rally organisers announced on Sunday that the 2027 edition of the gruelling motorsport event would be relocated from Saudi Arabia due to "recent developments in the region" and repeated Houthi attacks on the kingdom. ASO, the organising body, stated that a new location would be announced in the coming days. Specialist media have suggested that the rally might return to a Spain-to-Morocco route, which was previously used before the event moved to South America and subsequently to Saudi Arabia.

The relocation represents the latest sporting impact of the escalating Middle East conflict. Formula One has already cancelled its Jeddah and Bahrain races due to the crisis. Yemen's civil war, which pits Iran-backed Houthi forces against the Saudi-backed government, had largely subsided following a 2022 ceasefire. However, the conflict reignited in July as broader Middle East tensions intensified, drawing Saudi Arabia back into direct military engagement.