Iran-backed Houthi forces have claimed six attacks on airports and oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, days after senior Saudi and Iranian officials met in Tehran and agreed to resolve regional differences through dialogue.
The Tehran meeting on Monday brought together Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin for talks focused on "peace and security in the region". After the meeting, "participants agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation between the four regional countries", according to an Iranian press release carried by the Fars news agency, and Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry stressed "the importance of opening channels of negotiation to prevent a return to military escalation".
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement posted on X that the attacks targeted vital commercial and military infrastructure spanning Saudi Arabia from its east and west coasts to Riyadh and the southern Najran region. According to his statement, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile at the Ras Tanura oil refinery, a missile at an Aramco facility in Abqaiq, multiple missiles at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, a drone at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and a ballistic missile at the Rabigh oil refinery, and struck a Saudi military headquarters in the Najran region. There was no independent corroboration of the group's claims.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence said shrapnel from the interception wounded one Saudi citizen in Riyadh and damaged a house and a vehicle. The Saudi-led coalition said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards the capital, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki. Warning alerts on incoming potential threats had been issued in Riyadh and al-Kharj governorates and in Najran city before those interceptions were announced.
Earlier on Thursday, the internationally recognised Yemeni government called on the UN Security Council to take "deterrent and punitive measures" to stop Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The claimed strikes target some of Saudi Arabia's most significant oil infrastructure, including the Ras Tanura and Rabigh refineries and the Abqaiq facility, and its main international airports in Riyadh and Dammam: a confirmed hit would carry global energy and travel implications.
- The escalation undercuts the diplomatic push: the same week officials from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan agreed to keep talking, the Iran-backed Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi territory, testing whether the dialogue can survive the fighting.
- The interceptions over Riyadh and the wounding of a Saudi citizen show the conflict reaching population centres, not just remote facilities.
Background
The Houthis, an Iran-backed movement, took control of Yemen's capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year on behalf of the country's internationally recognised government. Cross-border missile and drone attacks against Saudi territory have been a recurring feature of the conflict, alongside repeated rounds of diplomacy aimed at containing it. This week's Tehran meeting was the latest such effort, bringing together security chiefs from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.
Key Perspectives
Houthi forces: through spokesman Yahya Saree, claimed the six attacks hit vital commercial and military infrastructure from Saudi Arabia's east and west coasts to Riyadh and the southern Najran region.
Saudi foreign ministry: stressed the importance of opening channels of negotiation to prevent a return to military escalation.
Saudi-led coalition: said its air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis toward the capital.
Saudi Civil Defence: reported that shrapnel from the interception wounded one citizen and damaged a house and a vehicle.
Yemen's internationally recognised government: called on the UN Security Council to take "deterrent and punitive measures" to stop Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport.
What to Watch
- Whether independent corroboration of the claimed strikes emerges, and whether the Saudi-led coalition reports further interceptions.
- Whether the four countries that met in Tehran hold the follow-up talks they agreed to, and whether that channel survives the escalation.
- How the UN Security Council responds to the Yemeni government's call for action over the attacks on Aden International Airport.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Houthis claimed six attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Houthi forces claim six attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities.”
- SupportedThe Houthi spokesman listed oil refineries and international airports as targets.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “According to Saree’s statement, the Houthis targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery with a ballistic missile, an Aramco facility in Abqaiq with a missile, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with multiple missiles, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam with a drone, the Rabigh oil refinery with a ballistic missile”
- SupportedThe Saudi-led coalition said it downed two missiles fired towards the capital.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards the capital, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki.”
- SupportedThe Tehran meeting took place on Monday, and the two sides agreed to resolve regional differences through dialogue.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “After Iran and Mecca defence alliance members Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan concluded their meeting in Tehran on Monday, “participants agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation between the four regional countries””
- SupportedThe meeting brought together the named Iranian, Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish officials and focused on peace and security in the region.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The meeting, hosted by Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei and attended by Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, focused on “peace and security in the region””
- SupportedThe Iranian press release said participants agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation among the four regional countries.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““participants agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation between the four regional countries”, according to an official Iranian press release carried by the Fars news agency.”
- SupportedSaudi Arabia’s foreign ministry stressed the importance of opening negotiation channels to prevent a return to military escalation.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “the Saudi foreign ministry stressed “the importance of opening channels of negotiation to prevent a return to military escalation” following the meeting.”
- SupportedSaree’s statement listed attacks on the Ras Tanura refinery, an Abqaiq Aramco facility, King Khalid and King Fahd airports, the Rabigh refinery and a Saudi military headquarters in Najran.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “the Houthis targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery with a ballistic missile, an Aramco facility in Abqaiq with a missile, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with multiple missiles, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam with a drone, the Rabigh oil refinery with a ballistic missile and a Saudi military headquarters in the Najran region.”
- SupportedThere was no independent corroboration of the Houthi claims.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “There was no independent corroboration of the group’s claims.”
- SupportedSaudi Civil Defence said shrapnel wounded one Saudi citizen in Riyadh and damaged a house and a vehicle.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said shrapnel from the interception wounded one Saudi citizen in Riyadh. Shrapnel also damaged a house and a vehicle, the agency’s spokesperson told the state-run news agency.”
- SupportedWarning alerts had been issued in Riyadh and al-Kharj governorates and in Najran city before the interceptions were announced.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Warning alerts on incoming potential threats had been issued in Riyadh and al-Kharj governorates and in Najran city before those interceptions were announced.”
- SupportedThe internationally recognised Yemeni government called on the UN Security Council to take “deterrent and punitive measures” to stop Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “the internationally recognised Yemeni government issued a statement that called on the UN Security Council to take “deterrent and punitive measures” to stop Houthi attacks on Aden International Airport.”