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Saudi Arabia Faces Escalating Houthi Attacks
· Confirmed
In Short: Both Bhaskarenglish (India) and Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom) agree that the Houthi rebels have launched missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, disrupting flights and schools, amid fears of a widening Middle East conflict.
Houthi rebels have escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, with recent missile strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport resulting in 13 casualties, according to DW (Germany). Fox News reported that one of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic skyscrapers, the Kingdom Center, ordered office workers to stay home Sunday due to the escalating attacks.
Bhaskarenglish (India) reported that studies in schools across Riyadh and the surrounding areas will take place online for a second week, while the airport remains closed. Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom) noted that the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia urged American citizens to remain vigilant over the current security situation and the potential for drone or missile attacks.
The attacks have raised concerns about the stability of Saudi Arabia's infrastructure and its role as a guardian of Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. DW (Germany) highlighted that the mere attempt at such attacks raises questions about Saudi Arabia's ability to protect these sites.
According to Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom), a 2022 truce collapsed in July, leading to an escalation in fighting. The Indian Express reported that the conflict has led to a surge in US's share in India’s LPG imports to over 50%, up from less than 10% in the preceding six months, due to supply disruptions from West Asia.
The OPEC+ cartel agreed to keep oil production targets steady for November amid the uncertainty created by the Middle East conflict, as reported by Thehawk (India). However, the global benchmark Brent crude has soared past the $100 a barrel mark, compared with $73 before the conflict broke out in February.
Saudi Arabia has publicly accused Iran of encouraging Yemen's Houthis to attack the kingdom, saying it violates a 2023 diplomatic deal it reached with Tehran to smooth over relations. Middleeasteye (United Kingdom) reported that the Saudi-led military coalition blamed the Iran-backed Houthis for the strike and described it as a 'full-fledged war crime.'
The attacks have also disrupted oil and gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains choked due to the U.S.-Iranian conflict. Fxstreet reported that the disruption comes as shipments through the Strait of Hormuz remain constrained, increasing the risk of simultaneous supply losses across key Middle East export routes.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has complicated efforts to arrive at a consensus among BRICS members, as reported by Devbhoominews. Leaders are gathering in New Delhi for the 2026 BRICS summit, attempting to present a common position on major global conflicts.
Despite the differing reports on the extent of the damage, the attacks have disrupted flights, schools, and oil production, highlighting the severe impact of the conflict on regional stability and civilian life.
Background
Houthi rebels have launched missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, disrupting flights and schools, amid fears of a widening Middle East conflict.
Saudi Arabia and its allies condemned Houthi rebels' attacks, with Saudi Arabia calling for international support to address the threat to regional stability.
What's confirmed
- Houthi rebels have escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, with recent missile strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport resulting in 13 casualties, according to DW (Germany). Fox News reported that one of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic skyscrapers, the Kingdom Center, ordered office workers to stay home Sunday due to the escalating attacks.
- Bhaskarenglish (India) reported that studies in schools across Riyadh and the surrounding areas will take place online for a second week, while the airport remains closed. Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom) noted that the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia urged American citizens to remain vigilant over the current security situation and the potential for drone or missile attacks.
- The attacks have raised concerns about the stability of Saudi Arabia's infrastructure and its role as a guardian of Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. DW (Germany) highlighted that the mere attempt at such attacks raises questions about Saudi Arabia's ability to protect these sites.
- According to Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom), a 2022 truce collapsed in July, leading to an escalation in fighting. The Indian Express reported that the conflict has led to a surge in US's share in India’s LPG imports to over 50%, up from less than 10% in the preceding six months, due to supply disruptions from West Asia.
- The OPEC+ cartel agreed to keep oil production targets steady for November amid the uncertainty created by the Middle East conflict, as reported by Thehawk (India). However, the global benchmark Brent crude has soared past the $100 a barrel mark, compared with $73 before the conflict broke out in February.
- The attacks have also disrupted oil and gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains choked due to the U.S.-Iranian conflict. Fxstreet reported that the disruption comes as shipments through the Strait of Hormuz remain constrained, increasing the risk of simultaneous supply losses across key Middle East export routes.
- The ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has complicated efforts to arrive at a consensus among BRICS members, as reported by Devbhoominews. Leaders are gathering in New Delhi for the 2026 BRICS summit, attempting to present a common position on major global conflicts.
- Despite the differing reports on the extent of the damage, the attacks have disrupted flights, schools, and oil production, highlighting the severe impact of the conflict on regional stability and civilian life.
What's still developing
- More than 10 years have passed since the conflict began in 2015, but the Houthis still control large parts of Yemen.
- Houthi rebels seized control of Yemen's capital, Sana'a, in 2014.
- Amid the supply crunch, India’s overall LPG imports fell over 40% sequentially in the March-August period, while imports from the US nearly quadrupled as India scrambled to find alternative supply sources not constrained by geopolitical conflict.
- Houthis claimed a locally made munition was used to target the warplane, according to the news agency AFP.
- "The Yemeni Armed Forces, with Allah's aid and grace, succeeded in shooting down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while it was carrying out hostile operations in support of its military mobilisations in the airspace of Marib province," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on social media, while accusing Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes.
- The market is now fully braced for Brent crude to trade above $100/barrel on a sustained basis." "Saudi Arabia has halted operations at several southern energy facilities after attacks triggered fires and caused injuries, escalating risks to regional oil supply.
- The decision was taken by the seven core members of the OPEC oil cartel, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan, and Oman.
- A decade ago, Saudi Arabia launched Vision 2030, a sweeping economic and social reform plan, to reduce the kingdom's reliance on oil and transform its economy and society.
- "We think the escalation by the Houthis at this later stage of the conflict is encouraged by Iran," Rayed Krimly, deputy minister for public diplomacy at the foreign ministry, told journalists on Friday, in a rare public statement.
- The Pentagon has not provided public information explaining the extent of the damage done by Iranian attacks to U.S. bases in the region in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan, but satellite imagery has consistently captured the impact of strikes.
- "I believe the American people are unaware of the extent of the damage that American bases are taking in [the Middle East] right now due to the conflict with Iran,” the service member, who was granted anonymity, told ABC News.
- In a statement released on social media platform X on Saturday, Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthis, announced that the group conducted a 'military operation with ballistic missiles and drones' aimed at the Aramco site.