Saudi Defenses Intercept Houthi Missile Aimed At Riyadh
Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile targeting Riyadh early on Saturday. This was the first time an air raid alert was heard in the Saudi capital since fighting with Houthi forces in Yemen increased in July.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen reported that the Iran-backed Houthi group fired the missile. Coalition forces spokesman Major-General Turki al-Maliki said the missile was destroyed before it reached Riyadh.
General al-Maliki also stated that Houthis tried to attack civilian areas and buildings in Bisha, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu. Saudi air defenses stopped all these attacks. Saudi Arabia had issued emergency alerts across the kingdom overnight on Friday due to a “hostile aerial threat.”
Residents near the Riyadh airport heard at least one explosion on Saturday. They later saw a large plume of black smoke. However, Saudi authorities reported no injuries or damage from the attack. General al-Maliki said Houthis are increasing their attacks on civilians and vital buildings. He added that the coalition has the right to take action to stop the Houthis. This action will follow international humanitarian law.
Houthi fighters in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said they attacked “sensitive” sites in Riyadh. He also claimed an attack on an Aramco oil facility in Yanbu, a western coastal city. Saree stated the Houthis used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones in their strikes on Saudi Arabia.
Yasmeen al-Eryani, an expert from the Sana’a Center think tank, noted that the Houthis seem to control how and when the fighting escalates. She told Al Jazeera that the Houthis appear to be setting the pace of the conflict.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Yemen, fighting has also increased. Saudi-backed government forces in Marib thwarted a Houthi attempt to enter an area called al-Fuliahan. They killed 12 Houthi fighters and injured others.
The Yemeni army also reported that 13 soldiers died in two days of clashes. These fights took place with Houthi forces in the southwestern provinces of Taiz and Lahj. Renewed clashes are happening in several Yemeni provinces including Marib, Taiz, and Lahj. This military increase began in early July. It is the most intense fighting since a period of calm followed a truce in April 2022.
Al-Eryani explained that military options against the Houthis are currently limited. Much of the fighting is in mountainous areas. These areas are difficult for forces to access and control. She suggested that containing the group might be more realistic than trying to defeat it completely.
