Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said Saturday it had attacked a Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, claiming the strikes caused fires at the targeted site.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the operation was carried out in retaliation for Saudi attacks on Sanaa and other areas of Yemen. He described the strikes as precise and direct and claimed they had hit the targeted facility.
A large plume of smoke and flames was seen near an Aramco facility south of Riyadh on Saturday, according to a witness cited by Reuters. However, Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed that the facility had been attacked, and Aramco had not issued a statement on the cause of the fire.
The Houthi claim came as fighting between the group and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen intensified. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government said its forces had carried out 97 operations against Houthi reinforcements on the Tor al-Baha front and the Taiz axis. Yemeni government forces said the operations targeted Houthi fighters and military vehicles.
Saree also claimed that Saudi forces had carried out around 60 air and missile attacks against Sanaa and other Houthi-controlled areas over the previous 24 hours. That figure was presented by the Houthi spokesman and was not independently verified. The Saudi-led coalition, meanwhile, has reported its own military operations against Houthi positions.
The latest exchange follows a sharp deterioration in the conflict after a fragile truce that had largely held since 2022 broke down earlier this year. Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia is preparing a possible offensive against the Houthis, including options for a coastal operation aimed at securing the Red Sea shipping route and a broader multi-front assault.
The escalation has also raised concerns about energy infrastructure and maritime security. The Houthis have increasingly targeted Saudi cities and oil infrastructure, while Riyadh and its allies have intensified military operations against the group. The strategic importance of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb means further escalation could have consequences beyond Yemen, particularly for regional shipping and energy supplies.
No immediate figures were available for casualties or financial damage from the reported fire near the Aramco facility. The cause of the blaze and the extent of any damage remained unclear pending further statements from Saudi authorities and Aramco.
