Loud explosions were heard in northern Riyadh on Monday evening, an AFP journalist and residents said. There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities or the coalition on the cause. The blasts came hours after the Houthis warned that Saudi airspace would not be safe as long as Riyadh’s “aggression” continued.
On Saturday (Oct. 3), a witness told Reuters that a large plume of smoke and fire was seen near an Aramco facility in Riyadh; the Houthis later said they had targeted it with missiles and drones. The coalition said a drone attack on Oct. 1 hit the Taiba power distribution station in Medina, which serves the Prophet’s Mosque, knocking a transformer out of service; it blamed the Houthis, who denied responsibility.
Update: Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed “three qualitative military operations” with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Aramco refinery in Rabigh, and sites in Asir, Najran and Jizan. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry expressed its “strongest condemnation” of the Houthis’ continued targeting of civilians and civilian and economic facilities. Saudi authorities have not confirmed that the targets were hit. The location and timing of the attached fire footage have not been verified.
Update (Oct. 6): Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said three people suffered minor injuries and there was material damage after two attacks on Monday evening targeted facilities at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport. The authority said emergency teams responded immediately and that it is assessing the damage with security agencies and taking measures to protect passengers and staff.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed on Tuesday that the group had targeted Abha International Airport with a ballistic missile, disrupting air traffic there, and renewed his warning to airlines against continuing flights in Saudi airspace. Riyadh had not commented on the claim as of 10:00 GMT.
Meanwhile, the United Nations said more than 184,000 people have been displaced in Yemen by fighting since Aug. 1.
