Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi militia towards Riyadh early Saturday, as the Iran-aligned group stepped up attacks on the Kingdom, drawing condemnation of its actions from Gulf and Arab states.
The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces destroyed the missile in the air before it reached the capital, with no damage reported from the interception, Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, said.
The Houthis subsequently claimed responsibility for attacks using missiles and drones against what they described as "sensitive" sites in Riyadh and an Aramco facility in the Red Sea oil hub of Yanbu. The group did not provide details of the targets or independently verifiable evidence of the damage it claimed.
The attack marked the first reported Houthi missile strike targeting Riyadh since the latest escalation between the group and Saudi Arabia began in July. Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings to residents of Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj overnight, with the all-clear given on Saturday morning.
Al-Maliki said Saudi air defences had also thwarted Houthi attempts to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu.
He described the attempts to strike Riyadh — a city of more than eight million residents — as a deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects, and said the coalition leadership retained the right to take appropriate measures to deter further attacks in accordance with international humanitarian law and customary rules.
The latest escalation comes after weeks of increasingly frequent Houthi attacks against Saudi territory, including attempts to hit military, civilian and economic infrastructure. Saudi Arabia has also accused the group of attempting to target Makkah with a drone earlier in the week.
The escalation has already caused civilian casualties. Saudi Civil Defense said on Thursday that debris from an intercepted Houthi drone in Taif killed a Yemeni resident and injured a Saudi woman and a Pakistani resident, while damaging buildings and vehicles.
Gulf states condemn attacks
The latest attack on Riyadh drew strong condemnation across the Gulf and wider region.
The Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemned the Houthi attacks and their targeting of civilian objects in Saudi Arabia, saying the actions posed a serious threat to regional peace and security. In a separate statement, he said GCC states stood united with Saudi Arabia and supported measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The United Arab Emirates has repeatedly condemned the Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian facilities and the attempted targeting of Makkah. Abu Dhabi has described such attacks as violations of Saudi sovereignty and threats to its security and stability, while reaffirming solidarity with Riyadh.
Qatar also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia following the recent Houthi attack on Taif that caused civilian casualties, describing it as a violation of international law and saying the Kingdom's security was integral to the security of Qatar and the wider GCC.
Kuwait condemned the attacks against Saudi population centres and said targeting the Kingdom's cities represented a flagrant violation of Saudi sovereignty.
Bahrain likewise condemned the escalation and the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, describing the Houthi actions as terrorism.
Oman, which has maintained channels with the Houthis and has played a role in regional mediation efforts, has also condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the Kingdom. Muscat has called for greater regional cooperation to address outstanding disputes and promote security and stability.
The breadth of the Gulf response underlined concern that the Houthi campaign is moving beyond isolated attacks into a wider threat to Saudi civilian, economic and energy infrastructure.
Jordan strongly condemned Saturday's missile attack on Riyadh and the attempted attacks on Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu. Its Foreign Ministry described the attacks as a violation of Saudi sovereignty and territorial integrity and a breach of international law and the UN Charter. Amman reaffirmed its full solidarity with Riyadh and support for measures taken to protect its security and territory.
Egypt also condemned the attack, saying it violated international law and the principles of the UN Charter.
Lebanon joined the condemnations, with its Foreign Ministry denouncing the missile attack.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres and GCC Secretary-General Albudaiwi also condemned the Houthi attacks during a meeting in New York, stressing the threat posed by the deliberate targeting of civilian objects to regional peace and security.
The latest statements came a day after members of the UN Security Council condemned ongoing Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed the Kingdom's right to self-defence under international law.
