Houthis strike Riyadh airport and Saudi Arabia's major oil hub — Reuters
Photo: Footage of the fire near the airport in Riyadh (South24)
Yemeni Houthis claimed to have attacked "sensitive" targets in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, with missiles and drones. Before this, flames and a large plume of smoke were spotted near the city's main airport, according to Reuters.
Overnight, Saudi Arabian authorities issued warnings about a potential threat in the Riyadh area amid an escalation of Houthi attacks. Shortly thereafter, fire and thick black smoke were spotted near the capital's main airport. The flames appeared to be rising from fuel tanks near the terminal.
The group did not specify a particular target in Riyadh itself, but reported a strike on an Aramco facility in the port city of Yanbu on the Red Sea, one of the key hubs for Saudi oil exports. According to the Houthis, the attack was in response to a strike on Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
The military coalition fighting the Houthis stated that it had intercepted one missile headed for Riyadh and also thwarted attempted attacks on several other Saudi cities in the west and southwest of the country, as well as in Yanbu. No reports of damage were provided.
The Houthis control a significant portion of Yemen and have been launching attacks against Saudi Arabia since July, when they declared a naval blockade and began striking ships in the Red Sea. This poses a threat to global oil supplies, especially given that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
Türkiye has stated its readiness to provide support to Saudi Arabia within the framework of a trilateral defense pact with Pakistan, although the specific form of assistance has not yet been specified.
