Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it carried out missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, including what it described as a “sensitive target” in the capital Riyadh and Saudi Aramco petroleum facilities in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
The Houthi announcement came after Saudi authorities said they had intercepted six ballistic missiles launched toward areas including Taif and Yanbu.
According to the Reuters, the Saudi statement did not immediately confirm that Riyadh had been targeted or that any missile had struck the capital.
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There were also no immediate official reports of casualties or significant damage in Riyadh, Taif or Yanbu following the reported interceptions and Houthi claims. The absence of immediate confirmation left the extent and impact of the reported attacks unclear.
The developments come as regional tensions and disruptions to key energy routes continue to pose risks to Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure and exports. Yanbu is an important Red Sea port and an outlet for Saudi crude transported through the kingdom's East-West pipeline, which provides an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz.
Reuters reported that Greek-operated air defense systems in Saudi Arabia intercepted a drone and a ballistic missile on Thursday near Yanbu's major oil refining facilities, occurring alongside the attacks.
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As of the latest reports, Saudi authorities had not publicly confirmed the Houthi claim of an attack on Riyadh or reported damage to the targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu. The precise targets, scale of the strikes and any resulting damage remained subject to further verification.
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