Saudi Arabia said Saturday that Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh, marking the first reported attempt to target the Saudi capital since the latest escalation in fighting with the Iran-backed group.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said the missile was intercepted before reaching its target. Some residents in Riyadh reported hearing an explosion early Saturday, while others later saw smoke near the airport. No casualties or damage were reported.
The coalition also said the Houthis attempted attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, as well as Taif, Baysh and Farasan, but that the attacks were thwarted. Authorities provided few additional details.
The Houthis separately claimed they had targeted what they described as “sensitive sites” in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi oil company Aramco in Yanbu. The group claimed the strikes caused major fires but provided no evidence, and the claims could not be independently verified.
Yanbu is strategically important because it is the western endpoint of Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, which allows crude to reach the Red Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones in the attacks. He also alleged that Saudi Arabia had attempted to strike the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital, Sanaa, but provided no further details.
The latest developments follow several days of escalating attacks.
On Thursday, Saudi civil defense authorities reported the first civilian death linked to the latest hostilities, saying debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident in Saudi Arabia.
A day earlier, Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of attempting to attack Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, with a drone. Saudi authorities said the aircraft was intercepted and described the security of the city as a “red line.” The Houthis denied targeting Mecca.
The expanding confrontation has raised additional concerns about regional security and global energy supplies, particularly because the fighting is occurring near major Red Sea shipping routes.
The United States, a close Saudi ally, has indicated that it is not currently engaged in direct hostilities with the Houthis. Meanwhile, regional officials have said Saudi Arabia has sought additional air-defense support from countries including France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt as it responds to the increased number of missile and drone attacks.
