Amid escalating military clashes between Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia, the first air raid alert was issued for the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
According to the British BBC and Reuters on the 19th (local time), Saudi civil defense authorities issued air raid alerts for multiple regions, including Riyadh, from the night of the 18th to the morning of the 19th. This marks the first time an alert has been issued for Riyadh since the Houthis declared in July their blockade of the Red Sea and vowed to strike Saudi Arabia. The Houthi attacks have now threatened the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city Jeddah, and the capital.
Some foreign media reported hearing explosions in Riyadh, but Saudi authorities stated that the alert has been lifted and the dangerous situation has ended. However, they urged residents to avoid gathering in large groups.
The Houthis have rapidly expanded their influence along the Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, escalating attacks by deploying drones and missiles to strike four southern Saudi cities. They recently seized control of the Mocha Port, a key stronghold in western Yemen, and Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Perim Island serves as a gateway for major maritime routes connecting the Gulf countries with Asia and Europe. The Houthis have also targeted Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Yanbu and the Khamis Mushait Air Base with missile and drone attacks.
In response, Saudi Arabia conducted a series of airstrikes on rebel positions and communication facilities in Yemen’s Taiz and Hajjah provinces. There were also reports that Saudi forces launched Chinese-made ballistic missiles against the Houthis. It is known that Saudi Arabia has requested assistance from both the United States and China to counter the ongoing Houthi offensive.
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