Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed on Saturday that it had attacked an oil facility near Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, while Saudi-backed forces launched strikes on Houthi-held areas in Yemen.
An AFP journalist saw flames and smoke rising from an Aramco facility south of Riyadh. Saudi authorities and Aramco had not immediately confirmed the cause of the fire.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later said the group had targeted an oil facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, claiming the strikes caused fires at the sites.
26 strikes reported on Sanaa
Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television reported that Saudi aircraft carried out 26 strikes on Sanaa, describing the attacks as “Saudi aggression.”
Two AFP correspondents in the Yemeni capital reported hearing loud explosions and seeing warplanes firing missiles over the city. The Houthi-affiliated channel did not provide details about the targets or any casualties.
Reuters separately reported that Yemen’s internationally recognised government said its forces were conducting strikes against Houthi positions in Sanaa and the group’s stronghold of Saada.
The latest exchange follows weeks of intensified fighting after the Houthis expanded their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important maritime passage.
Saudi energy infrastructure targeted
The reported attack on the Aramco facility marks another attempt by the Houthis to target Saudi energy infrastructure.
The AFP journalist saw firefighters working to extinguish a blaze at an Aramco refinery south of Riyadh, while ambulances and police vehicles were present near the facility. Saudi authorities had yet to issue an official statement confirming that the fire was caused by a Houthi attack.
The Houthis have previously claimed attacks on Saudi energy facilities, including Aramco sites in Yanbu. Saudi Arabia has disputed some of those claims and said it intercepted missiles in previous incidents.
Saudi Arabia issues first air raid alerts for Riyadh as Houthi attacks escalate
Fighting spreads across Yemen
The renewed violence follows the collapse of a fragile truce and a major Houthi offensive that has changed the military balance in western Yemen.
The Houthis control Sanaa and large parts of northwestern Yemen, while the internationally recognised government maintains control over much of the south and east.
Fighting has recently intensified around Taiz, where both sides have reported significant casualties. The battle is taking place across several fronts, including areas overlooking territory along the Red Sea coast.
The Houthis have also reported Saudi airstrikes on areas under their control, while Saudi authorities have accused the group of launching projectiles toward Saudi territory.
Humanitarian concerns grow
The renewed fighting has added to Yemen’s already severe humanitarian crisis.
The World Food Programme warned that three-quarters of Yemen’s population was unable to meet its basic food needs, highlighting the growing pressure on civilians as fighting spreads and displacement increases.
The latest escalation also comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to counter the Houthis’ growing control over strategic territory and maritime routes around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The United States is also monitoring the developments. US media outlet Axios reported that senior Trump administration officials met to discuss Yemen and the wider Iran conflict, although the meeting was not officially announced.
