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Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on sensitive sites in the Saudi capital Riyadh and an Aramco facility in Yanbu according to a Reuters dispatch published on September 19, 2026. The announcement came hours after thick black smoke and flames appeared near King Khalid International Airport following overnight air raid alerts issued by Saudi civil defence for Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj. One resident told AFP on condition of anonymity that explosions echoed through the city and that black smoke and fire were visible in the direction of the airport while Saudi civil defence later issued an all-clear message.
Reuters video and photographs captured a large plume of black smoke rising near the airport highway with the main terminal in the foreground and flames visible behind structures that appeared to be fuel tanks. FlightRadar24 data showed the airport experiencing major delays and cancellations as a result of the incident. Saudi authorities have issued no immediate comment on either the smoke or the Houthi claims according to multiple correspondents on the ground.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the operation responded to what the group called Saudi attacks on the Yemeni capital Sanaa a Reuters report stated. Al Jazeera reported that the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of conducting more than 300 strikes on their positions over the previous week alone. The latest escalation follows Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast that began in July 2026 and have included seizures of ports and islands.
The United Nations Security Council condemned continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia including those affecting civilian and energy infrastructure that have injured civilians. Saudi civil defence had not activated such alerts in Riyadh since the renewed fighting with the Houthis intensified earlier in the summer according to a Reuters chronology. Earlier this month Saudi forces intercepted a Houthi drone approaching Mecca which coalition officials described as a serious violation.
Civil defence figures released earlier in the week placed one death and several injuries in the Taif governorate after the interception of another Houthi projectile. The Houthis have denied aiming at holy sites and have vowed further action against Saudi airstrikes that they say numbered 26 in a single 24-hour period. Industry tracking indicates that repeated disruptions at major Saudi airports risk compounding pressure on regional aviation and energy logistics networks.
An informal truce had limited direct cross-border strikes between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis since March 2022 until the current round of violence erupted in July. An Associated Press timeline of the conflict shows repeated targeting of airport infrastructure on both sides of the border in recent months. Neither Saudi officials nor Houthi representatives have released verified details on damage or casualties from the events of September 19.
