Explosions Heard in Riyadh as Houthis Strike Saudi Capital

Air raid sirens and the sound of explosions were heard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, on Saturday, amid escalating fighting between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. Thick smoke and flames were observed near the city's airport. This marks the first time air raid sirens have sounded in the Saudi capital since a previous round of fighting involving Iran. One source told "The Saudi Post" that the fire and smoke seen in Riyadh originated from a fire in a populated neighborhood, not the King Khalid International Airport. However, earlier reports indicated a strike on a fuel tank belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco near the airport.

Saudi channel "Al Arabiya" reported that dozens of Houthi fighters were killed in the past 24 hours during clashes with Yemeni pro-Saudi forces. Other reports stated that a commander of the forces who seized the Bab el-Mandeb strait, General Mohsen al-Asar, was killed in an airstrike two days prior, though the Houthis have not confirmed this.

Despite daily launches into Saudi Arabia, a defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan is not expected to be activated at this stage, according to a regional diplomat speaking to Kan News on Tuesday. The diplomat explained that the trilateral defense alliance does not mandate an automatic response and requires coordination, suggesting the Houthis are not currently perceived as an existential threat to Saudi Arabia.

Last Friday, sources within the Yemeni pro-Saudi government confirmed to media outlets that Houthi rebels had completed their takeover of the Bab el-Mandeb strait and also seized Perim Island, from which government forces had withdrawn. A diplomatic source also indicated that Israel is sharing intelligence with Saudi Arabia against the Houthis.