Missile Intercepted Over Riyadh, Fire Reported Near Airport

A ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi movement was intercepted over Riyadh early Saturday, according to the Saudi-led coalition. The incident occurred after a fire broke out near King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki stated that Saudi air defences successfully intercepted and destroyed the missile at dawn, preventing damage to its intended target. Firefighters extinguished a blaze at a fuel depot near the airport, which bore the logo of Saudi oil company Aramco. Images confirmed by AFP showed black smoke above the airport terminal.

The coalition said that the Houthis attempted additional attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu, which were also thwarted by Saudi air defences. Residents in Riyadh reported hearing explosions following an overnight air raid alert issued by authorities. Shortly after, the alert was lifted by the Saudi Civil Defence agency.

The Houthi group claimed the attacks were in response to recent Saudi airstrikes and stated they had carried out two operations targeting sensitive locations in Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree outlined this claim in a statement on Telegram.

FlightRadar24 reported disruptions at King Khalid International Airport, but normal operations resumed after several hours. The US State Department issued a security alert in the region, warning that the conflict could escalate quickly, and highlighting that Houthis have previously targeted civilian airports in Saudi Arabia.

Recent days have seen heightened tensions, including accusations from Riyadh that the Houthis targeted Makkah—a charge the group denied. The United Nations reported that more than 112,000 people had been displaced by renewed fighting in Yemen, with nearly 3,000 fleeing to Djibouti.