The agency added that a female citizen and Pakistani national were injured due to the fallen fragments of the drone, both in critical condition.

Updated on: Sep 17, 2026, 19:54:46 IST

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Saudi Arabia's civil defence has confirmed the first death amid the escalating conflict with the Yemeni militant group, the Houthis. In a statement on Thursday, the Saudi agency said the fallen shrapnel from a drone interception has resulted in the death of the Yemeni national.

A spokesperson for the civil defence agency said the interception of the drone and its fallen fragments resulted in the death of a resident of Yemeni nationality. The agency added that a female citizen and Pakistani national were injured due to the fallen fragments of the drone, both in critical condition.

“Material damage to a number of buildings, and vehicles was also caused due to the interception,” the agency added.

The Houthis have not claimed any attacks on Saudi cities on Thursday, but have announced military operations in southern Saudi areas.

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This incident comes a day after Riyadh accused the Houthis of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca, a claim the group has denied.

5 killed in Yemen as conflict escalates

Meanwhile, in Yemen, at least five people have been killed as the Houthis and Saudi Arabia trade strikes.

On Thursday, the Houthis said that "Saudi enemy warplanes targeted three telecommunications towers" in Taiz province, killing one civilian and injuring others in strikes on the town of Abs, Almasirah television said.

The militant group also added that three children were killed and several Yemeni nationals were injured in attacks by “Saudi-backed mercenaries.”

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis renewed in 2026 after the Yemeni militant group announced a blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea.

This blockade came after the militant group allowed an Iranian plane to land in the capital Sana’a in defiance of Riyadh's control over Yemeni airspace.

The group added that Saudi ships and vessels in the Red Sea will also be targeted

Since then, the two rivals have experienced a dramatic escalation in the region for the first time since the collapse of the UN-brokered truce in October 2022.

As per the United Nations, the escalating conflict has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes in Yemen.

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