Striking the "Heart of Saudi Arabia" Riyadh... Buying All Those Advanced Weapons Only to Panic

Yemeni Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched attacks that set fire to oil tanks and caused widespread flight cancellations in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia's General Directorate of Civil Defense issued air raid alerts for multiple regions, including Riyadh, from the night of September 18 to the morning of September 19 local time.

This marks the first alert issued for Riyadh since July, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen intensified their attacks and declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.

Reports of explosions in Riyadh continued to come in until the morning of September 19.

Although Saudi authorities lifted the alert after declaring that the hazardous situation had ended, flames and thick plumes of black smoke were immediately spotted near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 reported that flights at King Khalid International Airport were canceled or delayed, with the flight disruption index reaching the highest level of 5.0.

AFP reported that a fire broke out at a fuel tank belonging to Saudi state-owned oil giant Aramco near the airport.

Yahya Sarea, the military spokesman for the Houthi rebels, issued a statement claiming responsibility for carrying out two military operations against Saudi Arabia using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

He stated, "The first operation targeted sensitive facilities in Riyadh, while the second operation targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu," adding, "We will continue to target Saudi military capabilities until the blockade on Yemen is lifted."

The Saudi-led coalition also confirmed that the Houthis attempted a ballistic missile attack targeting Riyadh. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki stated via X that the Royal Saudi Air Force "successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh in the early hours of Saturday."

The Houthis have been expanding their offensive, recently capturing the port city of Mokha, a major stronghold in western Yemen, and seizing Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea.

Tensions are also mounting among neighboring countries. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated, "It is unacceptable for Saudi Arabia to be dragged into a US-Iran war," and added that proposals to end the hostilities have been conveyed to the parties involved.

Reported by Lee Ho-geon | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.