Saudi Defense Minister Discusses Regional Developments with NATO, Germany, Canada and Spain amid Houthi Attacks

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz held a series of phone calls, announced early Friday morning, October 30, 2026, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the defense ministers of Germany, Canada and Spain. The calls addressed defense cooperation and developments in the region amid the ongoing attacks carried out by the Houthis against the Kingdom.

The calls came hours after Saudi air defenses intercepted, on Thursday evening, two ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh. Saudi Civil Defense said debris from the interception caused a minor injury to a citizen and material damage to a home and a vehicle.

Coordination with NATO

The Saudi minister and the NATO secretary general discussed military and defense cooperation and joint coordination regarding the current developments in the region, in a way that supports regional and international security and stability, in addition to several issues of mutual interest.

German, Canadian and Spanish condemnation of the attacks

In a call with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the two sides discussed bilateral military and defense relations and coordination of joint efforts regarding regional developments, and condemned the attacks the Houthis are carrying out against the Kingdom.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, in a call with Canadian Minister of National Defence David McGuinty, offered condolences over the deaths of several Canadian military personnel following a fire at a Canadian Forces base in Alberta. The two reviewed prospects for defense cooperation and ways to strengthen joint work to support the security and stability of the region. The call included condemnation of the Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.

The Saudi minister and Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles reviewed defense cooperation between the two countries and opportunities to develop it to bolster the Saudi‑Spanish partnership. They discussed regional developments in light of the Houthi attacks on the Kingdom and ways to achieve security and stability.

The calls coincide with a wave of international condemnations of the Houthi attacks: both the Spanish prime minister and the president of South Korea, in separate calls with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday evening, expressed their countries' condemnation of those attacks.

Read also: Saudi air defenses intercept two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh