Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen said that they carried out drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, and energy facilities on the country’s Red Sea coast.
The claim came after a large column of black smoke was seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, hours after Saudi authorities issued air-raid alerts and advised residents to remain indoors.
Houthi military spokesman, Yahya al-Sarea, said a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones were used to target what he described as “sensitive sites” in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi state oil company, Aramco, in Yanbu.
Al-Sarea said the attacks were in response to what he called Saudi Arabia’s “criminal attempts” to target the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. He had earlier accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out 300 strikes across Yemen during the past week.
There has been no official confirmation from Saudi authorities of the Houthi claims. An AFP journalist, however, reported seeing firefighters battling flames from a burnt-out Aramco fuel tank, while residents reported hearing explosions across Riyadh.
King Khalid International Airport experienced significant disruption, with flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reporting delays and cancellations. Saudi Civil Defence later issued an all-clear after overnight alerts had warned of possible danger in Riyadh and other regions.
The latest escalation comes as the Houthis remain engaged in Yemen’s civil war against the internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. The group has carried out several attacks inside Saudi Arabia in recent months.
The Houthis also claimed this week that they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet over Yemen. The claim has been linked to the wider escalation in fighting between the group and Saudi-backed government forces.
AFP, citing military sources from both sides, reported that 48 people were killed in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces, although the figures have not been independently verified. The Houthis said 31 of their fighters died, while government sources reported 17 soldiers killed.
The International Organization for Migration, IOM, said the recent fighting had displaced more than 104,796 people, underscoring the growing humanitarian impact of the conflict.
The Houthis have also recently claimed control of the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, a gateway to an important Red Sea shipping route. They said their naval blockade was in retaliation for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in Houthi-controlled northwestern Yemen.
Saudi vessels have relied on the Red Sea route for oil exports to Asia and Europe after the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest attacks have also raised concerns over the security of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure and the possible impact on global oil supplies. Investment bank JP Morgan said it was unable to confidently predict how the wider conflict would affect oil prices.
- BBC report
