RIYADH: Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh by Yemen’s Houthi movement early Saturday, as a fire and thick smoke were reported near King Khalid International Airport.
The incident marked the first reported missile threat to the Saudi capital since the latest escalation in Yemen, raising fresh concerns over the conflict’s expanding regional impact.
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki said the missile was intercepted and destroyed by Saudi air defenses. He also said Houthi forces attempted to target civilian infrastructure in Baish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, but those attacks were thwarted.
The Houthis claimed they carried out two operations using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. Military spokesman Yahya Saree said one targeted what he described as sensitive sites in Riyadh, while another targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
The claims came after Saudi authorities issued an overnight air-raid warning to residents. People in several parts of Riyadh reported hearing explosions, while footage showed black smoke rising near the airport.
Firefighters extinguished a blaze involving a fuel tank bearing the Aramco logo at a nearby fuel depot. FlightRadar24 reported significant disruption at King Khalid International Airport, including delays and cancellations, before flights gradually resumed.
No casualties were immediately reported by Saudi authorities.
The attack came as the Houthis press a major offensive across Yemen, including areas along the Red Sea coast. The group has seized additional territory in recent weeks, putting further pressure on Yemen’s internationally recognized government and its Saudi-backed forces.
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes against Houthi-held areas, while the latest fighting has intensified concerns over security along the Red Sea, a key route for international trade and energy shipments.
The United Nations said renewed fighting has displaced more than 112,000 people, while nearly 3,000 others have crossed the Red Sea to Djibouti.
The latest violence follows the breakdown of a fragile truce established in 2022. Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 after the Houthis seized Sanaa and other parts of the country, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year.
The United States issued a regional security alert Saturday, warning that the conflict could escalate rapidly and citing previous Houthi attacks involving Saudi civilian airports.
The latest incident also follows Saudi Arabia’s accusation that the Houthis targeted Makkah earlier this week. The Houthis denied the allegation.
Washington has separately approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, with the State Department saying the deal would help the kingdom deter current and future threats.
The latest missile launch and retaliatory strikes have added to concerns that the renewed Yemen conflict could further destabilize an already tense Middle East.
