Houthis claim missile and drone attack on Riyadh oil facility

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed they carried out a military operation using ballistic missiles and drones against a Saudi Aramco energy facility in Riyadh, according to reports by Al Jazeera and Reuters. Military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on social media that the strikes were precise and caused fires at the site. Saudi Arabian authorities and Aramco have not confirmed an attack or commented on the cause of the fires. [1][2][4][5]

Flames and a large plume of smoke were seen rising near the state oil plant south of the Saudi capital, France 24 and Al Jazeera reported. Meanwhile, the Houthi movement accused Saudi forces of conducting 26 strikes on the Yemeni capital of Sanaa after loud explosions were heard in the city, according to France 24. [1][2]

The reported strikes follow claims by the Houthi movement that Saudi Arabia launched more than 90 attacks inside Yemen over a 24-hour period, according to The Jerusalem Post. Reports from Ynetnews and The Independent also indicated that Saudi Arabia is planning a major military offensive involving 100,000 troops to retake the Bab el-Mandeb strait from Houthi control. [3][6][7][8]

The conflict between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi Arabia has escalated alongside wider regional tensions. The Houthis launched an offensive against the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen in September 2026. This follows years of maritime attacks by the group against merchant vessels in the Red Sea. [1][10][12][13]