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Houthis say they targeted Saudi capital with ballistic missiles

7:15 AM ETConfirmed

World Desk

In Short: The Iran-backed Houthis say they targeted Saudi Arabia's capital with missiles, but Saudi defenses intercepted them.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed they launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, early Saturday morning, according to statements from both sides.

Saudi-led coalition forces reported that they intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh, and thwarted attempts to target other civilian areas in the kingdom.

Al-Maliki added that the Houthis are escalating their attacks, with the first air raid alerts in Riyadh since July's intensification of hostilities.

The Saudi authorities reported no casualties or damage from the attacks, but acknowledged the seriousness of the threat.

Yasmeen al-Eryani, executive director for knowledge production at the Sana’a Center think tank, noted that the Houthis are setting the pace and level of escalation in the conflict.

Meanwhile, on the ground in Yemen, Saudi-backed government forces said they repelled a Houthi infiltration attempt in Marib, killing 12 Houthi fighters.

Military options against the Houthis are currently limited due to the mountainous terrain where much of the fighting occurs.

Jordan expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, affirming the coalition's right to take appropriate action to deter the Houthis.

The Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea said the attacks were in response to Saudi strikes on Yemeni territory, and accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out 300 strikes across Yemen in the past week.

The conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government continues, with the Houthis controlling the capital Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is reportedly running low on missile interceptors and has sought air defense support from France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed they launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, early Saturday morning, according to statements from both sides.
• Saudi-led coalition forces reported that they intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh, and thwarted attempts to target other civilian areas in the kingdom.
• Al-Maliki added that the Houthis are escalating their attacks, with the first air raid alerts in Riyadh since July's intensification of hostilities.
• The Saudi authorities reported no casualties or damage from the attacks, but acknowledged the seriousness of the threat.
• Yasmeen al-Eryani, executive director for knowledge production at the Sana’a Center think tank, noted that the Houthis are setting the pace and level of escalation in the conflict.
• Meanwhile, on the ground in Yemen, Saudi-backed government forces said they repelled a Houthi infiltration attempt in Marib, killing 12 Houthi fighters.
• Military options against the Houthis are currently limited due to the mountainous terrain where much of the fighting occurs.
• Jordan expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, affirming the coalition's right to take appropriate action to deter the Houthis.
• The Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea said the attacks were in response to Saudi strikes on Yemeni territory, and accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out 300 strikes across Yemen in the past week.
• The conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government continues, with the Houthis controlling the capital Sanaa.
• Saudi Arabia is reportedly running low on missile interceptors and has sought air defense support from France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt.

What's still developing

• “The Houthis also attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu,” coalition forces spokesperson Major-General Turki al-Maliki wrote on X on Saturday, adding that the attacks were thwarted by the Gulf monarchy’s air defences.
• Saudi Arabia warned of a “hostile aerial threat” and issued a string of emergency alerts across the kingdom overnight on Friday.
• Air defences also stopped "hostile attempts to target civilians" in the cities of Bish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, an official spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said in a statement.
• In a statement posted online, Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea said a "large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones" had been used to attack "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and Aramco state oil and gas company facilities in Yanbu on the coast.
• They have attacked targets inside Saudi Arabia on several occasions in recent months, and said this week that they were responsible for downing a Saudi fighter jet over Yemen.
• The Houthis said 31 of their fighters had been killed while government sources said their side had lost 17 soldiers, according to the news agency.
• How escalating Saudi oil crisis could drive up prices everywhere Saudi Arabia issues first air raid alerts for Riyadh since Houthis escalated attacks A number of apparent explosions were heard in Riyadh and major problems were reported at King Khalid International Airport earlier on Saturday, with the tracking website FlightRadar24 reporting delays and cancellations., external An AFP journalist reported that firefighters could be seen trying to extinguish the flames of a burnt-out fuel tank belonging to Aramco.
• The group said the naval blockade was in retaliation for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in Houthi-controlled north-western Yemen.
• Watch: Thick black plumes of smoke rise from near Riyadh's international airport Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen say they carried out drone and ballistic missile attacks on the Saudi capital Riyadh, as well as energy sites on the country's Red Sea coast.
• Earlier, a column of black smoke was seen rising from fuel tanks near the Saudi capital's international airport, where flights were disrupted temporarily on Saturday.
• The Houthis are locked in a civil war with Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.
• The statement also said the Houthis tried to attack civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu — where a key Saudi pipeline ends — and in Taif, Baysh and Farasan but they were thwarted, giving no further details.

Sources

• Al Jazeeralink
• BBClink
• NPRlink
• The Arkansas Democrat-Gazettelink
• Indiatvnewslink
• Saudigazettelink
• Seelink
• Al Jazeeralink
• Newsweeklink
• Fxstreetlink
• Israelnationalnewslink
• Telanganatodaylink
• Yemenonlinelink
• Tvcnewslink
• WarpBeat — background on Ukraine Races to Develop Its Own Ballistic Missiles to Counter Russian Threat link
• WarpBeat — background on North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles Off Eastern Coast link