Houthi strikes hit Saudi hubs: Diplomacy pauses as missiles fly

Houthi forces claimed responsibility for six attacks on Saudi infrastructure on Thursday, targeting airports and oil facilities from the east coast to the south. The strikes occurred just days after senior officials from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan met in Tehran to discuss regional stability.

Yahya Saree, the Houthi spokesperson, detailed the targets in a post on X. He said ballistic missiles hit the Ras Tanura oil refinery and the Rabigh oil refinery. Another missile struck an Aramco facility in Abqaiq. Multiple missiles targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while a drone hit King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. A sixth attack targeted a military headquarters in the Najran region.

The timing of the offensive contradicted the diplomatic momentum from the previous week. The four-nation meeting concluded on Monday with participants agreeing to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation. The gathering was hosted by Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei. Attendees included Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.

An Iranian press release stated the session focused on peace and security in the region. The Saudi foreign ministry later emphasized the need for negotiation channels to prevent a return to military escalation. However, the Houthi announcement on Thursday signaled that combat operations were intensifying despite these verbal commitments.

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki reported that air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles heading toward the capital. This interception occurred prior to the Houthi spokesperson’s broader claim of six attacks. Warning alerts for incoming threats had been issued in the Riyadh and al-Kharj governorates, as well as in Najran city.

Civil Defence officials reported that shrapnel from the missile interception in Riyadh wounded one Saudi citizen. The debris also damaged a house and a vehicle. The internationally recognized Yemeni government issued a separate statement earlier on Thursday, calling on the UN Security Council to take deterrent and punitive measures against Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport.