Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital after flames, black smoke seen near Riyadh airport | Today’s news
Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday (September 19th) they had launched missile and drone attacks on “sensitive” locations in the Saudi capital Riyadh, hours after flames and a huge plume of black smoke were seen near the capital.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement on Telegram that the group carried out two operations using ballistic and guided missiles and drones. He said one targeted sites in Riyadh, while another targeted a facility belonging to Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
The Houthi statement came after Saudi authorities issued a nightly warning of a “hostile aerial threat” in Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj. The Saudi Civil Defense later issued an all-clear.
Flames, black smoke seen near Riyadh airport
A large plume of black smoke was seen near King Khalid International Airport on Saturday after explosions rang out in Riyadh.
Reuters footage showed thick smoke rising near the airport, while flames were seen behind what appeared to be fuel tanks. An AFP journalist also saw firefighters putting out a burning fuel tank bearing the Aramco logo at a depot near the airport.
Residents reported hearing a boom in parts of the Saudi capital after the overnight warning. Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported a major disruption at Riyadh Airport temporarily before traffic began to return to normal.
The Houthis claim that the attacks on Riyadh and Yanbu
Saree said the strikes were carried out in response to what the Houthis described as Saudi “criminal attempts” to target the Yemeni capital Sanaa.
“The first targeted sensitive locations in the Saudi capital Riyadh and the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu,” Saree said, according to a Houthi statement.
The group did not provide details on specific targets in Riyadh.
Saudi authorities did not confirm the Houthis’ claims when the reports were published.
First warning in Riyadh since latest Houthi escalation
The overnight warning marked the first such air threat warning in Riyadh since fighting with the Houthis intensified in July.
Residents were warned shortly before 3am that the area was under “hostile air threat” and told to stay indoors. Two explosions were subsequently heard before the alarm was canceled about half an hour later.
The development represents a significant escalation in the latest confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, with the group increasingly targeting Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and shipping.
Attack on Yanbu raises oil concerns
The Houthi claim of an attack on the Aramco facility in Yanbu is particularly significant because the Red Sea port is a major Saudi oil export and industrial hub.
The latest escalation comes at a time when shipping and energy markets are already facing disruption from the wider regional conflict and restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz. Houthi attacks on shipping and infrastructure linked to Saudi Arabia could increase pressure on alternative routes used to move energy supplies from the Persian Gulf.
The Houthis also declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels connected to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
Read also | Saudi Arabia issues rare airstrike warnings for Riyadh
The Saudi-Houthi conflict is deepening
The renewed fighting comes after the Houthis launched a swift offensive in Yemen, taking control of large swathes of the country’s Red Sea coast and putting pressure on the internationally recognized Saudi-backed government.
Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas. The Houthis have accused Riyadh of carrying out hundreds of strikes against their positions.
The latest fighting has opened another front in a wider regional conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran in February.
The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, said on Saturday that Tehran wants the Saudi-Houthi war to end and believes the Yemeni side also wants a settlement with Riyadh.
UN condemns Houthi escalation
The UN Security Council on Friday condemned the Houthis’ continued attacks against Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting civilian and energy infrastructure.
The council said the attacks resulted in injuries to civilians, including women and children, and also condemned the Houthi military’s broader escalation in Yemen.
The United Nations said renewed fighting has driven more than 112,000 people from their homes, while nearly 3,000 others have crossed the sea to Djibouti.
The US approved the sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia for $24.3 billion
The escalation comes as Washington bolsters Saudi Arabia’s military capabilities.
The United States on Thursday approved the $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, saying the weapons will help Riyadh deter current and future threats.
Read also | War in Iran Pushes Oil Tanker Rates Over $1 Million a Day: Who Pays?
