Houthis fired ballistic missile at Riyadh

Missile Alert Shakes Riyadh as Saudi Arabia and Houthis Trade Claims

Thebangladaily.com – Riyadh faced an early-morning aerial threat on Saturday after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, while a fire also broke out near the capital’s international airport.

Fire crews put out flames involving a fuel tank bearing the logo of Saudi oil company Aramco at a depot close to King Khalid International Airport. Video verified by AFP showed thick black smoke rising over buildings near the airport complex.

The Saudi-led coalition said the missile was fired toward Riyadh at dawn. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said Saudi air defences destroyed it before it reached its intended target.

“Saudi Arabia’s air force successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards the city of Riyadh at dawn on Saturday,” al-Malki wrote on X.

He said the Houthis had also attempted to strike civilian areas and infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, but said those attacks were stopped by Saudi air defences.

Airport disruption and residents’ fears

Authorities issued an air raid warning overnight, telling people in Riyadh that the area faced a hostile aerial threat and urging them to remain indoors. The alert reached residents shortly before 3:00 am.

Journalists in the city heard two blasts before the Saudi civil defence agency ended the warning about half an hour later. Several residents described the episode as alarming, particularly because the sounds were heard across parts of the capital.

“I heard the alarm, then my windows shook,” said a 27-year-old resident in northern Riyadh. “It was definitely scary. I was not expecting this.”

Another resident called the incident “terrifying.”

King Khalid International Airport experienced serious disruption during the incident. FlightRadar24 placed the airport at its highest disruption level for a period, though normal flight movements later began returning.

The events underscored the vulnerability of civilian transport and energy infrastructure during a broader regional confrontation. Saudi Arabia is a major oil producer, and Riyadh’s airport is a key connection point for domestic and international travel. Any sustained disruption to either sector could have consequences beyond the immediate area.

Houthis claim operations against Riyadh and Yanbu

The Houthis said they had carried out two military operations in response to recent Saudi strikes on territory under their control. Yahya Saree, the group’s military spokesman, said ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones had been used.

“The first targeted sensitive sites in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu,” Saree said in a Telegram statement.

The competing accounts came as the conflict in Yemen intensified sharply. In recent weeks, the Houthis have conducted a rapid offensive that has captured large areas of the country, including a push to take control of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline.

Control of that coast would give the group influence over the Bab al-Mandab strait, a strategically important waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The passage is significant for international shipping and global trade routes.

Saudi forces have responded with dozens of airstrikes on Houthi-held territory but have not halted the movement’s advance. The internationally recognised Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia, has been under growing pressure as the Houthis expand their territorial reach.

Pressure grows for a negotiated end

The confrontation has raised fears of a wider escalation, especially after seven months of war between the United States and Iran had already unsettled the global economy. The US State Department and American embassies across the region issued a security warning on Saturday, saying the conflict could escalate quickly.

“Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports,” the US State Department said.

Days earlier, Riyadh accused the Houthis of attempting to target Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and a destination for millions of pilgrims each year. Saudi officials called it a cowardly terrorist attack, while the Houthis rejected the allegation as a “worn-out lie.”

The United States had declined a Saudi request to strike the Houthis last week, Axios said. On Thursday, Washington approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, saying the aircraft would help the kingdom deter present and future threats.

Analysts have warned that military responses may deepen a cycle neither side can easily end. Anna Jacobs of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington said Saudi Arabia was moving into an escalatory phase with the Houthis, while recognising that negotiations would ultimately be necessary.

“But both sides have a say in when that can happen and both sides seem locked in the escalation trap at this stage,” Jacobs said.

Humanitarian toll remains severe

The renewed fighting is also worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. The United Nations said more than 112,000 people had been displaced, while nearly 3,000 others crossed the sea to Djibouti.

Yemen’s war began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and other areas. That takeover prompted a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the internationally recognised government.

Saturday’s missile alert demonstrated how the consequences of the conflict are reaching beyond Yemen’s borders. While Saudi Arabia says its air defences prevented further damage, the fire near Riyadh’s airport and the temporary aviation disruption showed how quickly attacks and counterattacks can affect civilian life, critical infrastructure and regional stability.