Saudi Arabia said Saturday that Yemen’s Houthi rebels had launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh, marking the first reported attempt to strike the capital since fighting intensified with the Iran-backed group and opened a new front in the broader Iran war.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said the missile was intercepted, although its statement came several hours after the attempted attack at dawn.
Residents in Riyadh reported hearing a loud blast, while others later saw a column of smoke rising near the city’s airport.
Authorities reported no deaths, injuries or property damage.
The coalition also said Houthi forces had attempted to strike civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, the Red Sea port where a major Saudi oil pipeline terminates, as well as targets in Taif, Baysh and Farasan. It provided no additional details, saying the attacks were thwarted.
Earlier, the Houthis claimed without offering evidence that they had struck “sensitive sites” in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu, allegedly triggering “massive fires.”
Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The escalation near another vital international shipping route is adding fresh uncertainty for global markets.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones in the attacks.
Saree also accused Saudi Arabia of trying to strike Sanaa, the rebel-held capital of neighboring Yemen, but offered no supporting details. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify either side’s claims.
The latest exchange follows a series of rapid escalations in recent days.
On Thursday, Saudi civil defense officials reported the conflict’s first civilian death, saying debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident in Saudi Arabia.
A day earlier, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted a Houthi drone aimed at Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, and described protection of the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad as a “red line.” The Houthis strongly rejected the allegation.
The United States, a close ally of Saudi Arabia, has indicated that it is not currently engaged in combat with the Houthis.
Regional officials told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia’s supply of missile interceptors is running low, prompting Riyadh to seek air defense assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt.
At the same time, clashes have intensified inside Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government.
More than a week ago, Houthi forces advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, capturing the strategic port of Mokha and islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the Red Sea’s southern entrance.
The gains have strengthened the rebels’ ability to monitor maritime traffic, although the Houthis maintain that their attacks are directed only at Saudi vessels.
The renewed violence in Yemen represents a return to a devastating civil war after roughly four years of relative calm.
