Houthis claim attacks on Riyadh and Saudi oil facilities

Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday that they had launched missile and drone attacks on Riyadh and Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities.

The Houthis said “sensitive” sites in Riyadh had been targeted. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said its air defense systems intercepted a missile fired toward the capital.

Footage obtained by Reuters showed flames and a large plume of black smoke near Riyadh airport. The exact source of the smoke and flames was not immediately clear.

The Houthis also claimed to have attacked an Aramco facility in Yanbu, one of Saudi Arabia’s main oil export hubs.

Saudi officials said attacks targeting the cities of Bish, Farasan, Taif and Yanbu had also been thwarted.

The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, have carried out missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia in the past as part of the wider conflict in Yemen. Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition in Yemen since 2015, while attacks involving energy infrastructure have raised concerns about regional security and global oil supplies.