Houthis say they targeted Saudi capital with ballistic missiles
Iran-backed Houthi militants launch drone and ballistic missile attacks on Riyadh and Red Sea energy sites, causing airport disruptions.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Iran-backed Houthi militants claim drone and missile strikes on Riyadh and Saudi energy sites.
- Saudi authorities report intercepting and destroying a ballistic missile fired toward the capital.
- The incident causes temporary flight disruptions and column of black smoke near the international airport.
- An unconfirmed report states 48 people died in Saturday clashes across Yemen's civil war.
Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen stated that they carried out a series of drone and ballistic missile attacks directed at the Saudi capital Riyadh, alongside energy infrastructure sites situated along the country's Red Sea coast.
Saudi authorities responded by stating that their air defense forces successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh earlier that same day, though no immediate confirmation was provided regarding further strikes or casualties.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Earlier, a thick column of black smoke was observed rising from fuel tanks located near the international airport of the Saudi capital, where commercial flights experienced temporary disruptions on Saturday. Air raid alerts were triggered in the city for the first time since the Houthi faction escalated its frequency of attacks against Saudi Arabia back in July.
An official spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition stated in a briefing that air defenses also successfully halted hostile attempts targeting civilians across the cities of Bish, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu. Prior to these developments, Houthi officials accused Saudi Arabia of conducting 300 airstrikes across Yemen over the past week.
The ongoing conflict involving Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government highlights the dangerous geopolitical friction points in the Middle East. Beyond local territorial disputes, these escalating attacks on energy and aviation infrastructure pose direct threats to global supply chains and maritime security in vital Red Sea shipping lanes.
According to an unconfirmed report from the AFP news agency citing military sources from both factions of the civil war, fighting between the Houthis and government-backed forces resulted in 48 deaths on Saturday. The report specified that 31 Houthi fighters and 17 government soldiers lost their lives. Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration reported on Friday that the total number of displaced persons due to recent fighting had surpassed 104,796.
Source: BBC World
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