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Flames, smoke seen near Riyadh airport; Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital

The coalition said air defenses destroyed the missile and no casualties were reported after alerts and airport disruptions across the capital.

  • On Saturday, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement launched missile and drone attacks targeting "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and an Aramco facility in Yanbu, prompting Saudi authorities to issue air-raid alerts across the capital.
  • Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree described the strikes as "escalation for escalation" against Saudi-led coalition airstrikes, following a 2022 truce collapse and recent territorial gains along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
  • Coalition forces reported intercepting a ballistic missile targeting Riyadh, while residents near King Khalid International Airport reported hearing explosions and seeing black smoke; FlightRadar24 data showed significant flight disruptions.
  • The United Nations Security Council condemned the "Houthi military escalation in Yemen," warning such attacks threaten regional security, while Saudi authorities reported no casualties or major damage from the incident.
  • Amid a widening regional conflict involving the United States and Iran, Washington approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Riyadh to "deter current and future threats," while Turkey offered technical military support.
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Center

The rebel group, supported by Iran, dominates the Yemeni coast of Bab el-Mandeb and has fired a missile at Riyadh. Saudi Arabia wants the United States on its side in this war. Washington has been close to entering, but for now it is out of combat.

·Paço de Arcos, Portugal
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Lean Left

Violent explosions occurred the day before yesterday around King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Thick smoke rose from an Aramco fuel depot.

·Istanbul, Türkiye
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Al-Monitor broke the news in Washington, United States on Friday, September 18, 2026.
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