Saudi Arabia Says Houthis Targeted Riyadh With Ballistic Missile as Regional Conflict Escalates

Saudi Arabia said Saturday that Yemen’s Houthi rebels attempted to strike the kingdom’s capital with a ballistic missile, marking the first reported targeting of Riyadh since fighting involving the Iran-backed group intensified and expanded to another front linked to the broader Iran war.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said the missile was launched around dawn and intercepted. Residents in Riyadh reported hearing an explosion, and some later saw smoke rising near the airport. Authorities reported no casualties or property damage.

The coalition also said the Houthis attempted to strike civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, a Red Sea port city that serves as the endpoint of a major Saudi oil pipeline. The coalition reported additional attempts in Taif, Baysh and Farasan, but said all were intercepted without providing further details.

Earlier, the Houthis claimed, without providing evidence, that they had struck “sensitive sites” in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu. The group said the attacks caused “massive fires.” Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, did not respond to a request for comment.

The escalation around another major international shipping route has added uncertainty for financial and energy markets.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones in the attacks. He also alleged that Saudi Arabia had attempted to strike Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, but provided no details. The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm the claims.

The latest developments followed several days of escalating violence. On Thursday, Saudi civil defense officials reported the conflict’s first civilian death after debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia.

A day earlier, Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of attempting to target Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, with a drone that authorities said was intercepted. Saudi officials described protecting the city, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, as a “red line.” The Houthis strongly rejected the allegation.

The United States, which maintains a close alliance with Saudi Arabia, has indicated that it is not currently engaged in direct fighting with the Houthis. Regional officials told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia is facing shortages of missile interceptors and has sought air-defense assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt.

Meanwhile, fighting has intensified inside Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government. More than a week ago, the rebels advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, capturing the strategically important port city of Mokha and islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial passage at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.