Saudi Arabia said Saturday that Yemen’s Houthis attempted to strike Riyadh with a ballistic missile, marking the first reported attack on the capital since fighting with the Iran-backed group intensified amid the wider Iran war.
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The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted the missile. Residents reported hearing an explosion, while a plume of smoke was later seen near the airport. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, reported AP.
The coalition also said Houthi attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, as well as Taif, Baysh and Farasan, were thwarted.
The Houthis claimed they had targeted “sensitive sites” in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu, alleging that the attacks caused “massive fires”.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group had used cruise and ballistic missiles and drones. He also accused Saudi Arabia of attempting to strike the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa.
The latest escalation follows a series of Houthi attacks in recent days. Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that it intercepted a Houthi drone targeting Mecca, while on Thursday its civil defence said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident in Saudi Arabia.
The developments come as fighting has also intensified inside Yemen, where the Houthis have advanced along the Red Sea coast and seized the port city of Mokha and islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Regional officials told AP that Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has sought air-defence support from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt.
