Yemen's Houthis Strike Saudi Capital Riyadh for First Time

Sirens wailed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, for the first time late Friday night into Saturday, following a dramatic advance by Houthi rebels in Yemen and their control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Saudi civil defense reported that the danger had passed with no reported casualties or damage, though explosions were heard across the capital. A fire was later documented near King Khalid International Airport, a major Middle Eastern hub, with Reuters releasing footage showing smoke and flames near fuel depots. Eyewitnesses told AFP they saw black smoke and flames in the airport vicinity. A senior Houthi official, Hazam al-Assad, shared a report on X suggesting the fire was at an Aramco fuel depot, accusing Saudi Arabia of "playing with fire" against the Yemeni people with a blockade and aggression.

The alarms also sounded in the adjacent Al-Kharj province, with the first at approximately 3:00 AM and the second around 5:20 AM. Earlier alerts were heard in the Farasan province, and on Friday, warnings were issued in Yanbu, Taif, Jeddah, Khamis Mushait, Al-Ula, Jazan, and Abha. The conflict has escalated on multiple fronts, with Houthi control of the Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb strait intensifying concerns. Saudi Arabia is reportedly facing dwindling interceptor missile supplies and has sought assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt, as its primary supplier, the U.S., has depleted its own stocks due to the war in Iran.

In a significant development, U.S. officials met with Houthi representatives in Oman earlier this week. During the meeting, the Houthis reportedly pledged to avoid attacking American vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb strait and stated they would not attack Israeli or other commercial ships, with the exception of Saudi vessels. This comes as Saudi Arabia claims the Houthis launched a drone towards Mecca, Islam's holiest city, which they intercepted. The Houthis deny this claim, and Saudi Arabia has called the alleged targeting of Mecca, located about 1,100 kilometers from the Yemeni border, a "red line."