Yemen's Houthi forces launched a major attack on Saudi Arabia on Saturday, striking "sensitive sites" in the capital Riyadh and Aramco oil facilities in the port city of Yanbu using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. A fire broke out at an Aramco fuel depot near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, causing widespread flight cancellations and delays, while residents reported explosions and received overnight civil defence alerts urging them to stay indoors. The strikes mark a significant escalation in the Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia, which began in July when the group declared a naval blockade against Riyadh, and come amid broader regional instability linked to the ongoing US-Iran war, with Türkiye signalling readiness to help meet Saudi military needs under a trilateral defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Mosaic News
Mauritius issues warning after Houthi missile and drone strikes hit Riyadh and Yanbu[Updated]
The United States State Department on Sunday warned the conflict could "escalate rapidly," urging American citizens outside the Middle East to "seriously reconsider travel to and through the region," as President Trump cut short a Camp David weekend to return unexpectedly to the White House. A senior Houthi political bureau member, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, told the Associated Press that the group has assured Washington it will not target US vessels in the Red Sea, confirming indirect contacts through mediators after Oman hosted a meeting between US and Houthi representatives. The Wall Street Journal editorial board suggested the crisis presents Trump with a strategic opening to broker Saudi-Israeli-Emirati cooperation against Iran and the Houthis, while noting that Saudi hopes its newly signed Mecca mutual defence pact with Pakistan and Türkiye would prove useful have so far been disappointed. The Houthis' recent offensive has displaced more than 110,000 people according to the UN refugee agency, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Cairo on Sunday to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.