Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for an attack on an oil facility near Riyadh on Saturday, where visible flames and smoke were observed. The group also accused Saudi Arabia of conducting dozens of airstrikes on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. This marks a sharp escalation in hostilities following the Houthis’ recent rapid seizure of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and control over the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.
Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi aircraft launched 26 strikes on Sanaa, describing the assaults as “Saudi aggression” without detailing the specific targets or casualties. Correspondents in Sanaa witnessed loud explosions and observed warplanes firing missiles over the city. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, flames and smoke were seen rising from an Aramco facility located south of Riyadh, as firefighters worked to control the blaze and emergency services responded to the scene.
In a significant development late Saturday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that ballistic missiles and drones had targeted the Riyadh oil facility, causing fires at the site. Earlier, the Houthis also reported missile strikes on the telecommunications infrastructure in Saada, a stronghold in northwestern Yemen.
This escalation follows Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa on Thursday night, the first since renewed fighting erupted in July. The conflict reignited after a four-year truce collapsed when Iran sent a plane carrying a Houthi delegation to Sanaa without Saudi approval, violating a decade-old protocol. Saudi Arabia retaliated by striking Sanaa airport, prompting the Houthis to launch attacks on Saudi territory for the first time since 2022.
Since then, the conflict has intensified, with the Houthis capturing key coastal areas along the Bab al-Mandab strait and imposing a naval blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. They have also targeted multiple Saudi sites, including oil infrastructure and the capital Riyadh.
The renewed fighting has exacerbated Yemen’s dire humanitarian crisis. The World Food Programme warned that three-quarters of Yemen’s population cannot meet basic food needs. Recent clashes have focused on Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, where dozens of fighters have been killed. The Houthis reported 55 casualties among their ranks, while government sources confirmed 26 troops killed. The battle involves multiple fronts, including highlands overlooking coastal territories recently seized by the Houthis, though the city itself remains outside their control.
On Friday, the Houthis claimed that Saudi Arabia launched 94 airstrikes against their controlled areas within 24 hours. Saudi authorities reported that a Houthi projectile damaged a school in Najran, near the Yemen border. Riyadh has sought assistance from the United States, but President Donald Trump has so far declined to provide support.
Meanwhile, US officials held a confidential meeting on Friday to discuss the Yemen conflict and the broader Iran issue, highlighting growing international concern over the escalating violence.
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