Houthis Claim Missile and Drone Strikes on Riyadh and Yanbu (2026-09-20)

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed on Saturday that they carried out two military operations against targets in Saudi Arabia, saying they struck sensitive sites in the capital Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu. The group provided no evidence for the claims, which could not be independently verified.

In a pre-recorded statement, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the operations involved a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. He described the strikes as a response to what he called Saudi attempts to target Sanaa, without giving further details.

Aramco did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Saudi government-run Center for International Communication, which oversees foreign media in the kingdom, said it was looking into the inquiry without providing details.

Saudi Arabia had warned of a "hostile aerial threat" and issued a string of emergency alerts across the kingdom overnight, including the first alert in Riyadh since an escalation in fighting with the Iran-backed rebels in neighbouring Yemen. At least one explosion was heard in the capital after the alert.

Residents near the airport reported seeing a plume of smoke later in the morning. No casualties or damage were reported.

Saudi authorities did not comment and did not say what prompted the alerts, though they have previously reported intercepting Houthi missiles and drones.