Flames, smoke seen near Riyadh airport; Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital

On Saturday, Yemen's Houthis claimed to have carried out attacks on "sensitive" sites in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, using missiles and drones. Hours earlier, flames and a large plume of smoke were observed near the city's main airport. Saudi Arabia had previously sent alerts overnight warning of potential danger around Riyadh due to the escalating attacks by the Houthis.

Video footage and photographs showed a significant column of black smoke rising in the vicinity, with the airport highway, main terminal building, and other facilities in the background. At one point, flames were visible rising from what appeared to be fuel tanks.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have launched multiple attacks against Saudi Arabia since July, but Saturday marked their first reported strike on Riyadh since the recent escalation. The Houthis did not specify the exact targets in Riyadh, but they also claimed to have attacked an Aramco facility in Yanbu, a crucial Saudi oil export hub, with the operation being a response to an attack in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.

In response, the Saudi-led military coalition reported that its air defenses had destroyed a missile fired by the Houthis toward Riyadh early on Saturday. Additionally, the coalition claimed to have thwarted attacks targeting civilians in the Saudi cities of Bish, Farasan, and Taif, as well as Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. However, no damage was reported.

The Saudi civil defense had issued alerts by phone overnight, warning of potential aerial attacks in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj, located east of the capital, before providing an all-clear on Saturday morning. A Reuters journalist in Riyadh's Olaya area reportedly heard booms before the all-clear was given.

This is the first instance since the escalation with the Houthis began in July, as Saudi Arabia had previously issued alerts in Riyadh due to the ongoing US-Iran war. The conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia has emerged as a new battlefield in the broader war that started with US and Israeli strikes against Iran at the end of February.

US President Donald Trump has declined to provide direct military support to Saudi Arabia against the Houthis. A US State Department security alert issued on Saturday for Americans in the Middle East emphasized the need for heightened vigilance, urging American citizens outside the Middle East to reconsider travel to the region.

The Houthis, who hold control over Yemen's most populous areas and a significant portion of the north, have been targeting Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July. The attacks have aimed at Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, cities, energy infrastructure, and shipping, posing new threats to global oil supplies and jeopardizing the Red Sea route as an alternative to the blocked Strait of Hormuz.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested that Saudi Arabia may require military assistance due to the ongoing Houthi attacks, and Turkey was prepared to offer support under a trilateral defense pact involving Pakistan. Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, expressed Iran's desire for the Saudi-Houthi conflict to cease, stating that both Iran and Yemen hoped for a resolution with Saudi Arabia.

Tehran had conveyed its conditions to mediators for re-engaging in stalled negotiations with the United States, including the end of the war in all fronts. The UN Security Council strongly condemned the Houthis' continuous attacks against Saudi Arabia, including those that harmed civilians and energy infrastructure, resulting in injuries to women and children.