The Houthi group announced that it had carried out two military operations targeting the Saudi capital Riyadh and Aramco facilities in the Red Sea city of Yanbu, using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. Saudi authorities, meanwhile, said their defences had intercepted a missile heading towards Riyadh and foiled attempts to target other cities.
Houthis announce targeting Riyadh and Yanbu
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement issued on Saturday evening, 19 September 2026, that the group had used a large number of missiles and drones in the two operations. He added that the first operation targeted what he described as “sensitive targets” in Riyadh, while the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
Saree claimed that the two operations had achieved their objectives and caused “huge fires” to break out at the targeted sites. He linked the attacks to the continuation of Saudi air strikes on areas under the group’s control in Yemen, saying they had numbered 732 raids, and accusing Riyadh of attempting to target the capital, Sana’a.
The Houthi spokesperson also said the attacks had come in response to accusations that the group had attempted to target Mecca, an allegation denied by the Houthis. He added that his group would continue what he called “the equation of siege for siege and escalation for escalation”, alongside targeting Saudi military movements, until military operations and the siege imposed on Yemen were halted, in his words.
Coalition announces interception of missile and foiled targeting attempts
By contrast, Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition forces, said the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh at dawn on Saturday. He accused the group of continuing attempts to target civilians and civilian facilities in the capital.
Al-Malki added that the Houthis had also attempted to target the cities of Bish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, confirming that air-defence systems had foiled those attempts. He said the coalition command reserved the right to take the measures it deemed appropriate to deter the group’s attacks, in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules.
Air warnings issued for residents of Riyadh and other cities
During the early hours of Saturday, Saudi Civil Defence issued warnings to residents of Riyadh about an aerial threat before later announcing that the danger had passed. The warnings also covered other areas and cities, including Yanbu, Taif, Jeddah, Abha, Jizan, Farasan, Khamis Mushait and AlUla. The authorities then announced that the danger had ended in those areas and urged residents to follow safety instructions.
A dense column of black smoke was seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on the same day, as explosions were heard in the capital. Saudi authorities did not link the smoke to the attack announced by the Houthis in their statement, while the group maintained its claim that the targeted sites had been hit.
The coalition had announced on 16 September 2026 that it had intercepted a drone which it said the Houthis had launched towards Mecca the previous evening, explaining that the drone had been destroyed south of the city before entering restricted airspace.
The Houthis denied targeting Mecca, before citing the Saudi accusation among the justifications they gave for the attack on Riyadh and Yanbu.
