Yemen-based Houthi rebels said they launched attacks against sites in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, and oil facilities in the port city of Yanbu. The claim was issued in a statement posted to Telegram, according to DW.
The statement came hours after firefighters extinguished a blaze at a fuel depot near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Residents reported hearing explosions after Saudi authorities warned overnight of a “hostile aerial threat” and advised people to remain indoors, DW reported.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had conducted two operations using ballistic and cruise missiles. He said one operation targeted what he called sensitive sites in Riyadh and the other targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Saree described the attacks as retaliation for recent Saudi strikes on Yemen’s capital, Sana’a.
Saudi authorities had not confirmed the reported blasts. They did, however, say that incoming Houthi missiles and drones had been intercepted, according to the supplied report. AFP journalists reported hearing two explosions before Saudi civil defence authorities lifted the alert about half an hour later. Reuters published images and video showing a large plume of black smoke near a highway leading to the airport.
FlightRadar24 reported major disruption at King Khalid International Airport. The developments followed a recent dispute over an alleged Houthi attack on the holy city of Mecca, which the group denied. The escalation is also taking place amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia.
The report said a 2022 truce between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia broke down in July after an Iranian plane landed in Sana’a, an action that challenged Saudi control over Yemeni airspace. The Houthis subsequently announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and have reported Saudi strikes in areas near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a major shipping route.