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Yemen’s Houthis claimed attacks on Riyadh as Saudi Arabia intercepted a missile and issued an all-clear after overnight alerts.
Saudi Arabia issued an all-clear in Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj on Saturday after authorities warned residents of possible aerial attacks amid escalating fighting with Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh, while residents reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke near King Khalid International Airport. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.
The Houthis said they had launched missiles and drones at what they described as sensitive sites in Riyadh and at facilities belonging to Saudi oil company Aramco in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. The group said the attacks were carried out in response to Saudi military operations in Yemen. Saudi authorities also said Houthi attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, Taif, Baysh and Farasan had been thwarted. The Houthis’ claims about specific damage could not be independently verified.
The attack attempt marked the first reported Houthi strike against Riyadh since the latest escalation between the group and Saudi Arabia began in July. Reuters reported that Saudi civil defense sent phone alerts warning of potential danger before issuing the all-clear Saturday morning. Footage reviewed by Reuters showed a large plume of black smoke near the airport, with flames visible in an area that appeared to contain fuel storage facilities.
The escalation comes as the wider conflict involving Iran has placed additional pressure on regional shipping and energy infrastructure. The Houthis have expanded their military activity along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including their seizure of Mokha and nearby islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime route. The group has said its current blockade is aimed at Saudi-linked shipping, while the fighting has contributed to renewed displacement and intensified Yemen’s long-running civil war.
Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei told Al Jazeera that Tehran had conveyed conditions to U.S. mediators for renewed negotiations, including an end to the war on all fronts and an end to the U.S. naval blockade. He said Qatar and Pakistan were involved in mediation efforts and that Iran was awaiting a response from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sources: Reuters, The Associated Press, BBC News and Al Jazeera.