Houthis backed by Islamic Republic launch ballistic missile attack on Riyadh

Houthi militants in Yemen, backed by the Islamic Republic regime, launched a large-scale attack on Saturday using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones against Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition confirmed that a ballistic missile fired toward the capital, Riyadh, was intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems. Residents in Riyadh reported hearing explosions, and thick smoke was observed near King Khalid International Airport. In addition to Riyadh, similar attacks were reported against civilian infrastructure in Baysh, Taif, the Farasan Islands, and Yanbu, all of which the coalition stated were thwarted. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the operations, alleging that sensitive sites in Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu were targeted. Saudi authorities have not confirmed whether these facilities were directly struck, maintaining that the attacks on Yanbu and other locations were successfully repelled. These tensions have escalated as the Houthi organization has increased its drone and missile strikes against the Kingdom in recent weeks.