Houthis target Riyadh with ballistic missile, fire erupts near Saudi airport

The attack marked the first reported targeting of Riyadh since the latest escalation in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces began in July.

The attack came hours after a fire broke out at a fuel depot near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

Firefighters were seen extinguishing flames from a fuel tank bearing the logo of Saudi oil giant Aramco, while footage verified by AFP showed a large column of black smoke rising above the airport area.

Missile intercepted over Riyadh

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki, in an X post, said the country's air force had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh at dawn.

He also said the Houthis attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, but that Saudi air defences thwarted the attacks.

Saudi authorities had issued overnight warnings of a "hostile aerial threat" and urged residents in affected areas to remain indoors. Residents in Riyadh reported hearing explosions, while the warning was later lifted.

No casualties or major damage were immediately reported from the missile attack.

Houthis claim missile, drone attacks

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had carried out two military operations using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.

According to Saree, one operation targeted "sensitive" sites in Riyadh, while another targeted an Aramco facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

The group said the attacks were carried out in response to recent Saudi strikes in Yemen.

The Houthis did not provide evidence that their claimed targets in Riyadh were hit. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said its air defences had intercepted the ballistic missile targeting the capital.

Fire near King Khalid Airport

The missile claims came amid reports of a major fire near King Khalid International Airport.

An AFP journalist at the scene saw firefighters extinguish a blaze involving a fuel tank marked with the Aramco logo.

Reuters footage also showed flames and thick black smoke rising from an area near fuel storage facilities at the airport.

Flight-tracking data showed disruptions at the airport before operations began returning towards normal.

Yemen conflict escalates

The latest attack comes amid a sharp escalation in Yemen, where the Houthis have recently expanded their military offensive and seized territory along the Red Sea coast.

The renewed fighting has brought the conflict closer to Saudi Arabia and strategic shipping routes around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The latest escalation follows years of relative calm after a 2022 truce.

The United States has also issued a security alert warning that the conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly, while international concern has grown over threats to civilian and energy infrastructure in the region.