Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile

Saudi Arabia has confirmed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels attempted to launch a ballistic missile at the capital Riyadh, marking the first direct attack on the city since escalating hostilities with Houthi forces backed by Iran. The Saudi-led coalition, which is waging war against the Houthis, stated that the missile was intercepted before reaching its target.

Some residents in Riyadh reportedly heard a loud explosion, while others observed a smoke plume near the airport, though there were no reports of casualties or damage. The coalition also reported that the Houthis had targeted civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, a crucial Red Sea port where a significant Saudi pipeline terminates, as well as in Taif, Baysh, and Farasan, but these efforts were unsuccessful.

The Houthi group had previously claimed without any proof that they had hit "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and the oil facilities of Saudi state-owned Aramco in Yanbu, which resulted in "massive fires." Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, did not comment on the matter. The ongoing conflict near another vital global shipping route has raised concerns in markets.

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, said the rebels used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones in their attacks, and asserted that Saudi Arabia had attempted to bomb the Houthi-held city of Sanaa in neighboring Yemen, without providing further details. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify the claims.