Houthis claim six new strikes on Saudi targets

Regional tensions have remained high despite recent diplomatic efforts between key Middle Eastern powers. Iran-backed Houthi forces claimed six attacks on Saudi infrastructure on Thursday. The strikes targeted airports and oil facilities across the kingdom. This followed a high-level meeting in Tehran earlier in the week involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkiye, and Pakistan.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree detailed the targets in a statement posted on X. The group said it used a ballistic missile against the Ras Tanura oil refinery. A separate missile hit an Aramco facility in Abqaiq. Multiple missiles targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. A drone struck King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. A ballistic missile hit the Rabigh oil refinery. The group also claimed an attack on a Saudi military headquarters in the Najran region. Independent verification of these claims had not been confirmed as of the report.

The diplomatic backdrop for these strikes includes a meeting hosted in Tehran on Monday. Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei led the session. Attendees included Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. An Iranian press release stated that participants agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation. The Saudi foreign ministry emphasized the importance of negotiation channels to prevent a return to military escalation.

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired toward the capital. Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence reported that shrapnel from the interception injured one citizen in Riyadh. The same debris damaged a house and a vehicle in the city. Warning alerts for incoming threats had been issued in Riyadh, al-Kharj governorates, and Najran city prior to the announcements.

Earlier on Thursday, the internationally recognized Yemeni government issued its own statement. The group called on the UN Security Council to take deterrent and punitive measures. The request aimed to stop Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport. This action highlights the continued strain between the warring factions in the region despite the recent talks in Tehran.