The Iran-aligned Houthis said they struck an oil facility south of Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, and an AFP journalist reported flames and smoke at an Aramco site. Houthi-affiliated media said Saudi aircraft carried out 26 strikes on Sanaa as intense clashes continue. The fighting follows a rapid Houthi offensive that captured Yemen's Red Sea coast and Bab al-Mandab and has worsened the country's humanitarian crisis, with the WFP warning that three-quarters of the population cannot meet basic food needs.
Houthis Say They Struck Aramco Facility Near Riyadh as Saudi Strikes Hit Sanaa — Fighting in Yemen Intensifies
Saudi-backed Yemen government soldiers ride in a pick-up truck near the Jabal Han front, west of the city of Taiz, where battles are ongoing (AHMAD AL-BASHA)
The Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed on Saturday that it struck an oil facility south of Riyadh, and an AFP journalist at the site reported seeing flames and smoke rising from an Aramco complex. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic missiles and drones and that the attacks ignited fires at the targeted locations.
Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported that "Saudi enemy aircraft" carried out 26 strikes on Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, though it provided no details of targets or casualties. Two correspondents in Sanaa described hearing large explosions and seeing warplanes firing missiles over parts of the city.
At the Aramco site south of Riyadh, the AFP journalist described firefighters working to extinguish a blaze while ambulances and police vehicles remained on the scene. Saudi authorities had not issued an immediate comment late Saturday.
Background
The exchanges come after a renewed round of hostilities that began in July, when a fragile truce collapsed following an unauthorised flight from Iran to Sanaa carrying a Houthi delegation. Riyadh responded by striking Sanaa airport, and the Houthis then launched cross-border attacks, including on Saudi infrastructure and shipping routes.
In a rapid offensive last month the Houthis seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, escalating the conflict and prompting a declaration of a naval blockade against Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.
Humanitarian Impact
The renewed fighting has deepened Yemen's humanitarian crisis. The World Food Programme warned that roughly three-quarters of Yemen's population are now unable to meet basic food needs, exacerbating conditions in one of the world's poorest countries.
Battle For Taiz
Recent heavy fighting has focused on Taiz, where both sides reported significant casualties. The Houthis said 55 of their fighters had been killed, while pro-government sources told AFP that 26 government troops died. Taiz remains contested: despite Houthi gains elsewhere, the city has not fallen and clashes are taking place across multiple fronts, including highlands overlooking newly captured coastal areas.
Saudi sources also reported that a Houthi projectile damaged a school in Najran, near the Yemeni border. Riyadh has reportedly sought assistance from the United States; US media reported internal discussions at senior levels within the Trump administration, though no public US commitment has been announced.
Note: Both sides have made competing claims about strikes and casualty figures; independent verification is limited amid active hostilities.
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