Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday that the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said were aimed at Taif in western Saudi Arabia and the Yanbu area on the Red Sea.

The Houthis later on Thursday said they had carried out attacks on what they described as "a sensitive target" in the capital Riyadh and on Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones in the two operations, adding that they had achieved their objectives.

There was no immediate Saudi confirmation of an attack on Riyadh. Saudi civil defence did not issue an emergency alert for Riyadh on Thursday.

The escalation threatens Saudi Arabia's ability to export oil through the Red Sea at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted and the kingdom's East-West pipeline is only now resuming operations after drone strikes earlier this month.

The Houthis declared a naval blockade on the kingdom in July, opening a second theatre in the US-Iran war.

It was not clear whether there was any damage or casualties in either Taif or Yanbu, the main alternative route for Saudi oil, after a widespread emergency alert was issued for areas including Jeddah and the holy city of Mecca.

The attack on Yanbu followed an improvement in prospects for oil exports to resume from the terminal there.

Industry sources say Saudi Arabia is building up crude pumping volumes through its East-West pipeline, which was shut on September 11 after drone attacks which Riyadh has blamed on Iraqi ⁠militia.

Saree had said earlier on Thursday that the group had attacked Saudi military sites in Jazan province bordering Yemen. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia.

Saree said the Houthis carried out the attack using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, targeting what he described as "operations rooms, command and control centres, weapons depots" in Jazan, as well as missile launch sites and military camps.

Saudi civil defence issued an emergency alert over a potential danger in Jazan on Wednesday, but it issued no alerts on Thursday.

Civil defence authorities also warned of potential danger in the northwestern province of Tabuk, near the border with Jordan – a first for the area during the latest escalation between the kingdom and the Houthis this month.

The Houthis have largely attacked southern areas of Saudi Arabia. They seized the whole Yemeni western coast in a lightning offensive nearly two weeks ago that brought them to the shores of the Red Sea's strategic Bab el-Mandeb waterway. (Reuters)



Edited by Cecil Wong