Yemen's Houthi forces announced on the 19th that they conducted two military operations targeting "sensitive sites" in the Saudi capital Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Yanbu, employing a substantial number of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
The group stated the actions were retaliation for Saudi Arabia's continued airstrikes and for accusations blaming Yemen for attacks on Mecca. In response, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesman, Turki al-Maliki, said air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and repelled multiple attacks against Baish, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu. However, the Houthis claimed both operations were successful, asserting that large fires broke out in the targeted areas.
Yanbu, a key Red Sea port city, houses a refinery and an oil export terminal linked to Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline. Previously, a drone launched from Iraq had already struck this critical pipeline, and this latest escalation has placed two of the kingdom's main export routes under mounting pressure.
Strategic logic behind the offensive
The Houthis framed the operation as reprisal for Saudi strikes, saying F-15 and Typhoon jets launched 732 sorties from bases at Khamis Mushait and Taif, causing civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. The group resumed its offensive in early September with a notably faster tempo. While Riyadh has faced Houthi missile attacks in 2017, 2018, and 2020, this is reportedly the first time the Saudi capital activated its air raid sirens, signaling a new level of threat intensity. On Wednesday, the Houthis also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet and released footage of what appeared to be wreckage.
Airport and Yanbu under strain as core energy nodes
The selection of targets reflects clear strategic intent. King Khalid International Airport's aviation fuel facilities are vital to Saudi civil aviation, while Yanbu serves as both a major Red Sea port and a key export gateway for Saudi Aramco, linked to the country's east-west crude pipeline. The Houthis previously seized the Red Sea port of Mokha and Perim Island at the southern end of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, giving them leverage over Saudi crude export routes. With both export corridors now under pressure, the kingdom's energy shipments face a dual threat.
According to Bloomberg, a series of actions by Iran and its proxies appears aimed at shrinking Saudi export capacity to amplify the impact on the U.S. and the global economy. Iran itself is facing a U.S. naval blockade hampering its Persian Gulf crude exports, and the coordinated moves by allied groups have drawn heightened market attention.
Conflict backdrop: Yemen war enters second decade
Yemen's civil war has continued since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, with a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervening in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government. The conflict has killed over 150,000 people, displaced millions, and pushed Yemen to the brink of widespread famine. A fragile truce had held in recent years, during which Saudi Arabia paid salaries to Yemeni government officials, including those in Sanaa, while the Houthis expanded attacks to Israel and Red Sea shipping amid the Gaza conflict. The new offensive in early September has shattered that period of relative stability.
In a video statement on Saturday, U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper said over 1 billion barrels of crude from American allies had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian threats. He did not disclose the calculation basis, and commercial shipping trackers typically estimate lower volumes, partly due to ships switching off transponders or taking evasive actions. Saudi Arabia has sought international support to counter the Houthi threat but has yet to mount a large-scale reprisal.