Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed on Saturday, October 3, 2026, that it struck a Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones after Saudi-backed forces reportedly attacked Sanaa, raising fears of a broader regional escalation.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the operation was retaliation for Saudi strikes on Yemen’s capital and other areas controlled by the group. A Reuters witness reported seeing a large plume of smoke and fire near an Aramco facility south of Riyadh, while an AFP journalist saw firefighters, ambulances and police vehicles at the scene. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed that the facility was attacked, and Aramco had not publicly attributed the fire to a missile or drone strike.
The Houthis said the attack caused fires and described the targets as energy infrastructure in the Saudi capital. The claim followed reports from Houthi-affiliated media that Saudi aircraft carried out dozens of strikes on Sanaa and hit communications infrastructure in Saada province. The confrontation comes amid renewed fighting after a fragile truce collapsed, with the Houthis also claiming recent attacks on Aramco facilities near Yanbu.