Houthis Claim Missile Strikes on Riyadh and Aramco as Saudi Allies Plan Urgent War Talks

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Thursday they launched missile and drone attacks on the Saudi capital Riyadh and on Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea city of Yanbu, in a dramatic escalation that has pushed oil prices higher and prompted Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan to arrange an urgent military meeting under their joint defence pact.

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-aligned group, aimed at the southern province of Taif and the Yanbu area, while civil defence authorities briefly issued emergency alerts for areas including the holy city of Mecca, Jeddah, Yanbu, Taif and Tabuk before lifting them minutes later.

Houthis Claim Strikes on Riyadh and Aramco Facilities

In a statement carried by the Houthi-run Yemen News Agency, military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones” to hit what it described as a “sensitive target” in Riyadh and Saudi Aramco petroleum facilities in Yanbu. He claimed the operations “achieved their objectives successfully.”

Saudi authorities said there was no immediate confirmation of an attack on Riyadh, and no confirmed damage or casualties in Taif or Yanbu. The Houthis separately claimed dozens of missiles and drones struck Saudi military sites in the southwestern Jazan region, targeting what Saree described as command centres, weapons depots and missile launch sites. Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm those claims either.

The claims came after the coalition said its defences had intercepted six Houthi ballistic missiles on Thursday. Reuters reported that emergency alerts were issued across several regions, including Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest sites.

At Least 150 Fighters Killed in 24 Hours of Ground Fighting

As the missiles flew, fierce fighting raged inside Yemen between the Houthis and forces of the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government. An AFP tally based on sources from both sides put the death toll at at least 150 fighters killed in the past 24 hours — including 98 government troops and at least 52 Houthi fighters — with clashes over strategic hilltops overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the narrow waterway at the mouth of the Red Sea through which a huge share of global shipping passes.

The Houthis seized Yemen’s western coast in a lightning offensive nearly two weeks ago, bringing them to the shores of the Bab el-Mandeb and cementing what observers describe as Iranian-allied control over both waterways the wider Gulf relies on to ship oil and fuel.

Saudi, Turkey and Pakistan Plan Urgent Chiefs-of-Staff Meeting

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met on Thursday at the kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York under the framework of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which stipulates that an attack on any one of the parties constitutes an attack on all of them.

According to a Saudi foreign ministry statement, the ministers condemned the attacks targeting Mecca and other civilian and economic sites, affirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself, and discussed arrangements for an urgent meeting of the three countries’ chiefs of staff to explore ways to support Saudi Arabia. The meeting was announced shortly after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sought to distance Iran from the Houthis in an American television interview, denying that Tehran was directing the group’s battle plans.

France Vows Military Assets to Shield Yanbu Oil Terminal

Adding to the international dimension, French President Emmanuel Macron said France planned to send “military means” — soldiers, radars and defence systems — to help shield the key Saudi oil terminal at Yanbu. The infrastructure in and around Yanbu forms a key node in Saudi Arabia’s energy network, and the port is the main alternative route for Saudi crude when shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted.

The attack on Yanbu followed signs of improvement in oil export prospects from the terminal: sources told Reuters that operations had restarted on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which was shut on September 11 after drone attacks Riyadh blamed on Iraqi militia.

Grand Mufti Urges Troops to Be Ready to “Sacrifice Their Lives”

In a rare and strongly worded statement late Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s top religious authority, Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan, called on soldiers stationed at the country’s borders to remain permanently prepared to fight the Houthis until the group is ousted from power. The statement, posted on the Saudi state news agency and drawing on Quranic verses about sacrifice, was addressed to troops defending the kingdom.

Observers have been questioning whether Saudi Arabia will launch a broader military operation alongside the Yemeni government forces it backs, and the Mufti’s message is being read as a signal that Riyadh is preparing its forces for a long and costly fight.

Oil Prices Jump Above $100 on Supply Fears

Energy markets reacted immediately. Brent crude futures ended Thursday above $106.50 a barrel after earlier exceeding $108, easing only slightly to around $105.77 on Friday morning in Asia. Analysts warned prices would likely stay above $100 as long as the wider war on Iran continued and critical supply routes and facilities remained vulnerable.

The escalation threatens Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil through the Red Sea at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is already disrupted — a double blow to global energy supply that has traders pricing in prolonged risk.

A Wider War Escalating

The attacks are the latest in a series of escalating Houthi strikes since July, when renewed hostilities shattered a years-long truce and embroiled Yemen in the wider Middle East war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Since then, the Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, hit its tankers and territory, and — earlier this week — said they brought down a Saudi fighter jet over Yemen.

Last week, Riyadh accused the group of targeting Mecca for the first time since 2017 with a drone that was downed, an accusation the Houthis denied. Days later, the group attacked Riyadh — the first strike on the Saudi capital in years.

For broader context on the region’s shifting alliances, see our World News section and our recent coverage of diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war.

Conclusion

With missiles claimed over the Saudi capital, a threatened Red Sea oil lifeline, a Grand Mufti rallying troops for sacrifice, and an urgent three-nation military meeting on the table, the Saudi-Houthi confrontation has entered its most dangerous phase in years. Whether the flurry of diplomacy — and the show of allied force — deters further attacks or marks the start of a wider regional war is now the question the world is watching. We will continue to follow this developing story.