Ansar Allah (Houthis) Offensive Reaches Saudi Capital... Saudi Aramco Tanks on Fire and Airport on 'High Alert'

[Financial News] The offensive by Yemen's pro-Iranian Ansar Allah (Houthis) has spread to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. With the first air raid alert issued in Riyadh, a fire broke out at a Saudi Aramco fuel tank near King Khalid International Airport, leading to a wave of flight cancellations and delays. As Ansar Allah (Houthis) officially announced attacks targeting Riyadh and key oil facilities, and Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes on rebel strongholds in Yemen, the conflict between the two sides, which had been in a lull since the 2022 ceasefire, is escalating again.
According to foreign media reports on the 19th (local time), the Saudi Civil Defense Authority issued air raid warnings for several regions, including Riyadh, from the previous night until this morning. This is the first time an air raid warning has been issued for the capital, Riyadh, since Ansar Allah (Houthis) declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia last July and escalated their attacks.
There were successive reports of explosions in Riyadh. After authorities lifted the alert, stating that the dangerous situation was over, flames and black smoke were seen near King Khalid International Airport.
AFP reported that firefighters worked to extinguish a fire that broke out at a fuel tank belonging to Saudi state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco near the airport. However, it was not immediately confirmed whether the fuel tank fire was directly caused by an Ansar Allah (Houthis) attack.
Airport operations were also disrupted. According to the aircraft movement information site Flightradar24, the operational disruption index at King Khalid International Airport reached the highest level of 5.0 due to a series of flight cancellations and long delays.
Ansar Allah (Houthis) have officially confirmed attacks targeting the Saudi mainland. Ansar Allah (Houthis) military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that they carried out two military operations using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, saying, "The first operation targeted sensitive facilities in Riyadh, and the second targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu." He further announced that they would continue attacks until Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen ends.
The Saudi-led coalition also confirmed that Ansar Allah (Houthis) attempted a ballistic missile attack targeting Riyadh. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki stated that the Saudi Air Force intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Ansar Allah (Houthis) toward Riyadh. He explained that attacks targeting Bisha, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu were also thwarted by air defense systems.
The scope of the conflict between the two sides is expanding. Ansar Allah (Houthis) are expanding their offensive, having recently seized Not_found in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea, following their control of Mokha, a major stronghold in western Yemen. This effectively brings the capital, Riyadh, within the threat of attack, alongside Mecca and Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia is also retaliating by launching successive airstrikes on Ansar Allah (Houthis) positions and communications facilities in Yemen’s Not_found and Not_found provinces. Ansar Allah (Houthis) also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet with a surface-to-air missile over Yemen’s Marib Governorate on the 16th.
As the conflict intensifies, neighboring countries are also accelerating their moves. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, stated that "Saudi Arabia may have some military needs," indicating that this could be considered within the framework of the trilateral defense agreement with Pakistan.
 

[email protected] Kim Hyun-jung Reporter