Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile, the first targeting of Riyadh since the recent surge in fighting. The Saudi-led coalition said the missile was intercepted, but some residents heard an explosion and saw smoke near the airport, with no reports of casualties or damage.
The coalition statement also said the Houthis tried to attack civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, Taif, Baysh and Farasan — where a key Saudi pipeline ends — but all attempts were thwarted. No further details were provided.
Riyadh Under Fire
The attack on Riyadh marks a new phase in a war that has dragged on for years. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have stepped up their attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent days, hitting multiple targets across the country.
The coalition intercepted the missile over Riyadh. Residents reported hearing an explosion and seeing smoke near the airport, though there were no reports of casualties or damage. The coalition said the attack failed.
The Houthis have not commented directly on the attack. Their spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed the rebels attacked with cruise and ballistic missiles as well as drones. The coalition did not address his claim directly.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims about the attacks on Riyadh, Yanbu, Taif, Baysh and Farasan.
Wednesday’s Escalation
Wednesday brought the first report of a civilian death in the current fighting. A Saudi civil defense statement said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia, marking the first reported civilian casualty in this round of fighting.
The same day, Saudi Arabia said the Houthis had tried to attack the holy city of Mecca with a drone. The coalition framed the attack as a direct threat to Islam’s holiest site.
Yanbu and the Pipeline
The coalition’s statement detailed attacks on other targets. The Houthis tried to hit civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, Taif, Baysh and Farasan — where a key Saudi pipeline ends.
The coalition said all attempts were thwarted, with no further details provided. Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, did not respond to a request for comment on the Houthis’ claim of causing “massive fires” at its Yanbu facilities.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have stepped up their attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent days, hitting multiple targets across the country.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a strategic waterway that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis’ control of ports and islands there gives them a better view of ships passing through one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The Houthi Response
Saree, the Houthi spokesperson, said Saudi Arabia had attempted to target the rebel-held city of Sanaa in Yemen, without giving details. The coalition has not addressed this claim.
The Houthis’ claim that they only target Saudi ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one they have raised. Whether they stick to that line in practice is another matter.
The International Response
The US, a close Saudi ally, has signaled it has no current fight with the Houthis. That leaves Saudi Arabia looking elsewhere for help.
Regional officials told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt for air defense support. The scramble for defense aid reflects how far the conflict has drawn in others.
The Houthis seized the port city of Mokha and islands on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait over a week ago, improving their surveillance of ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis have said they are only targeting Saudi ones.
What This Means for the War
The Houthis have fired missiles and drones at Riyadh, Mecca and ports while advancing down Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The conflict has drawn in France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to help intercept them.
The Houthis are Tehran-backed rebels who have fought the Saudi-backed Yemen government for years. The fighting has surged between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized Yemen government, marking a return to a devastating civil war after four years of relative calm.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the coalition’s claims about the attacks on Riyadh, Yanbu, Taif, Baysh and Farasan. The Houthis have not commented directly on the attacks.
Source material: “Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen's Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile,” ABC7 Chicago.
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