Houthis claim six attacks on Saudi airports and oil sites despite Tehran talks
The Iran-backed group says it struck refineries, airports and a military headquarters across Saudi Arabia, days after Saudi and Iranian officials met in Tehran.
At a glance
- Iran-backed Houthi forces claimed six attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities, with no independent corroboration reported.
- Targets listed by Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree included Riyadh and Dammam airports, two refineries and an Aramco site.
- The claims came after Tehran talks between Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan; Saudi air defences reported intercepting two missiles.
Iran-backed Houthi forces have claimed six attacks on airports and oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, announced by a group spokesperson on Thursday despite a rare meeting between Saudi and Iranian officials in Tehran earlier this week.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement posted on X that the attacks targeted vital commercial and military infrastructure, spanning Saudi Arabia from its east and west coasts to Riyadh and the southern region of Najran.
According to Saree's statement, the group targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery with a ballistic missile, an Aramco facility in Abqaiq with a missile, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with multiple missiles, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam with a drone, the Rabigh oil refinery with a ballistic missile and a Saudi military headquarters in the Najran region.
There was no independent corroboration of the group's claims.
Rare talks in Tehran
The claims came after a Monday meeting in Tehran between Iran and the Mecca defence alliance members Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Hosted by Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei, it was attended by Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and focused on "peace and security in the region".
After the meeting, participants "agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation between the four regional countries", according to an Iranian press release carried by the Fars news agency. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry stressed "the importance of opening channels of negotiation to prevent a return to military escalation".
Interceptions and casualties
The Houthi announcement followed a statement from the Saudi-led coalition that its air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired towards Riyadh, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence said shrapnel from the interception wounded one Saudi citizen in the capital and damaged a house and a vehicle.
Warning alerts about potential incoming threats had been issued in Riyadh and al-Kharj governorates and in Najran city before those interceptions were announced.
Earlier on Thursday, the internationally recognised Yemeni government called on the UN Security Council to take "deterrent and punitive measures" to stop Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- What did the Houthis say they attacked in Saudi Arabia?
- Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group targeted the Ras Tanura and Rabigh oil refineries, an Aramco facility in Abqaiq, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and a military headquarters in Najran.
- Were the Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi Arabia independently verified?
- No independent corroboration was reported for the claims. The Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles fired towards Riyadh, and Saudi Civil Defence said shrapnel wounded one citizen.
- What was the Tehran meeting about?
- Iran hosted Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials in Tehran on Monday to discuss "peace and security in the region". Participants agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation between the four countries.
