Houthis attempted to strike Riyadh with a ballistic missile
Yemen's Houthis attempted to attack the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh with a ballistic missile.
The Saudi coalition reported that the missile was intercepted. Residents of Riyadh heard an explosion, and later a column of smoke was spotted in the area of the airport. There is no information about fatalities, injuries, or destruction.
This is the first attempted strike on the Saudi capital since the new escalation of the conflict with the Iran-backed Houthis.
The Saudi side also announced that it had prevented attacks on civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, Taif, Bisha, and on the Farasan Islands.
The Houthis, for their part, claim that they attacked «sensitive facilities» in Riyadh and facilities of the oil company Saudi Aramco in Yanbu. There is no independent confirmation of these claims.
In recent days, fighting in Yemen has intensified once again. The Houthis have seized the port of Mokha and several islands in the area of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is of key importance for international shipping.
