ERBIL () — Yemen's Houthis said on Saturday that they launched missile and drone attacks targeting sensitive sites in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh and oil facilities in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, hours after residents reported explosions across parts of Riyadh.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement on Telegram that the group carried out two military operations using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.
He said the first operation targeted what he described as “sensitive sites” in Riyadh, while the second targeted facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu.
Saree said the attacks were carried out in response to what the Houthis described as Saudi attempts to target Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
The Houthi claims came after an AFP journalist reported that firefighters had extinguished a blaze involving a fuel tank bearing the Aramco logo at a fuel depot near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
The cause of the fire was not immediately established independently.
Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 also reported major disruptions at King Khalid International Airport following the reported explosions, although normal air traffic later began to resume.
The developments followed an overnight air-raid alert issued by Saudi authorities, according to AFP, marking the first such warning since fighting in neighboring Yemen intensified earlier this month.
Several hours after the alert, residents in Riyadh told AFP they heard what sounded like multiple explosions echoing across parts of the Saudi capital.
The latest escalation comes as Yemen's Houthi movement has intensified its military campaign, seizing additional territory and challenging the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis have previously used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones in attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and other regional targets, making the security of Saudi energy infrastructure and major airports a continuing concern amid the wider regional conflict.
Saudi authorities had not immediately provided details on the reported explosions or confirmed the Houthi claims regarding the targets and damage.
