Houthis Say They Targeted Riyadh With Ballistic Missiles as Saudi Arabia Reports Interception

 Riyadh, September 20, 2026: Yemen’s Houthi movement said it launched missile and drone attacks against what it described as “sensitive sites” in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Saturday, as fighting between the group and Saudi-backed forces continued to intensify.

Saudi Arabia military missile defense|photo: TECH. SGT. H. H. DEFFNER/Wikimedia commons

The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh early Saturday. Saudi authorities also reported that attempted attacks against civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, Taif, Bishah and the Farasan Islands had been thwarted.

The Houthis said their operation involved ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones. According to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, one operation targeted sites in Riyadh while another targeted facilities belonging to Saudi oil company Saudi Aramco in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

Smoke Reported Near Riyadh Airport

King Khalid International Airport Riyadh|photo Unsplash

The claims came after residents and journalists reported explosions and a large plume of smoke near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Reuters video and photographs showed thick black smoke rising near the airport, while an AFP journalist reported that firefighters had extinguished a fire involving a fuel tank bearing the Aramco logo at a nearby fuel depot. However, Saudi authorities did not immediately establish that the fire was caused by a successful Houthi strike.

Saudi authorities issued overnight warnings of a possible aerial threat in Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj before announcing an all-clear. Residents reported hearing explosions during the alert period.

No Confirmed Casualties From Riyadh Missile

Mohammed bin Salman|photo وكالة الأنباء السعودية/Wikimedia commons

The Associated Press reported that Saudi officials said there were no casualties or confirmed damage from the intercepted missile targeting Riyadh. The Houthi claims that specific “sensitive sites” were hit have not been independently verified.

The latest incident comes amid a broader escalation in fighting involving the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. The renewed violence has also raised concerns about security around important oil and maritime infrastructure in the region.

Houthi-Saudi Conflict Escalates

Houthi protest files|photo Henry Ridgwell (VOA)/Wikimedia commons

The Houthis said the latest attacks were carried out in response to Saudi military action against their positions, including attacks around Yemen’s capital Sanaa. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has said its defenses are working to prevent attacks against population centers and civilian infrastructure.

The incident represents a significant development in the latest escalation because Riyadh itself had not previously been the focus of the renewed Houthi attacks that began earlier in the current round of fighting.

Important: Houthi claims about successful strikes on specific targets should be treated as claims, not independently confirmed facts.