Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi Arabia's capital after smoke seen rising near airport

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks targeting "sensitive" sites in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh - hours after flames and smoke were seen near the city's main airport.

The Saudi civil defence sent overnight phone alerts on Saturday warning of potential aerial attacks in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital.

Footage later emerged showing a pillar of black smoke, with the airport's main terminal building in the foreground.

At least one explosion was heard, but no casualties or damage were reported.

It is unclear what the Houthis targeted in Riyadh, but they claimed to have attacked a facility of oil firm Aramco in the Red Sea city of ​Yanbu.

Saudi-led coalition forces later confirmed that the rebels had tried to attack the capital with a ballistic missile, which was intercepted.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, have been engaged in attacks against Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July.

The Houthis have carried out strikes on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, and this appears to be their first strike against Riyadh since the start of the current conflict.

It has threatened global oil supplies amid the ongoing US-Iran war, putting alternative Red Sea shipping routes at risk while the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded.

The Houthis said the latest operation was launched in response to an attack on the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which they currently control.

A US State Department security alert issued on Saturday urged Americans in the region to "exercise heightened vigilance" and said that Americans outside the Middle East "should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region".

The UN Security Council "condemned in the strongest terms continued Houthi attacks ​against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including attacks impacting civilian and energy infrastructure, which have resulted in the injury of civilians, including women and children" in a statement on Friday.

The Security Council also condemned "Houthi military escalation in Yemen".

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US President Donald Trump has previously refused Saudi requests for direct US military intervention against the Houthis.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary ​of Iran's Supreme National Security ⁠Council, told Al Jazeera that Tehran wanted the conflict to end in an interview on Saturday.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan also said that Turkey would step in to help Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defence pact which would also include Pakistan.

(c) Sky News 2026: Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi Arabia's capital after smoke seen rising near airport