# Houthis launch first attack on Saudi capital

> Yemen's Iran-backed rebels escalate conflict with a ballistic missile strike on Riyadh, marking a dangerous new phase in regional fighting.
- Title: Houthis launch first attack on Saudi capital · NPR | Shortify
- Summary: Yemen's Iran-backed rebels escalate conflict with a ballistic missile strike on Riyadh, marking a dangerous new phase in regional fighting. The Houthis have…
- Keywords: breaking, saudi arabia, yemen, houthis, iran, ballistic missile, riyadh attack, red sea, aramco, regional conflict, air defense, news
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/09/19/nx-s1-5974980/saudi-arabia-houthis-attempted-attack-capital
- Published: 2026-09-19T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: breaking, saudi arabia, yemen, houthis, iran, ballistic missile, riyadh attack, red sea, aramco, regional conflict, air defense, news
## Houthis strike Saudi capital
Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile at Riyadh on Saturday, the first attack on Saudi Arabia's capital since fighting escalated. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted the missile, though residents heard explosions and saw smoke near the airport.
## Multiple targets across Saudi Arabia
The Houthis also attempted strikes on the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, where a key Saudi pipeline ends, plus Taif, Baysh and Farasan. The coalition said all attacks were thwarted with no casualties or damage reported.
## Houthis claim major damage
The Houthis claimed they hit sensitive sites in Riyadh and Saudi oil giant Aramco facilities in Yanbu, causing massive fires. Aramco, the world's largest oil company, did not respond to requests for comment.
## Escalation accelerates rapidly
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said the Houthis tried to attack Mecca with a drone, calling it a red line. Thursday brought the first civilian casualty when debris from an intercepted drone killed a Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia.
## Saudi Arabia running low on defenses
Regional officials told the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt for air defense support. The United States has signaled it has no current fight with the Houthis.
## Yemen conflict reignites after calm
Fighting has surged inside Yemen as Houthis seized the port city of Mokha and islands controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This marks a return to devastating civil war after four years of relative peace.
## Key takeaway

The Houthis have opened a new front in the Iran war by directly attacking Saudi Arabia's capital for the first time, forcing the kingdom to seek air defense help from multiple countries.