Houthi Missiles and Drones Strike Riyadh and Aramco Site as Saudi Coalition Hits Yemen Fuel Depot

Yemen's Houthi forces launched missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia on 13 October 2026. Saudi authorities reported a limited fire at an Aramco administrative building in Dhahran and injuries from debris in Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition responded with strikes on a fuel depot near Sanaa.

Civil defence officials said four people, two women, a man, and a child, were wounded by falling debris from two intercepted Houthi cruise missiles in the capital. Fifteen homes sustained damage. A Saudi energy ministry official confirmed that an administrative building belonging to Aramco in Dhahran was struck, producing a limited fire with no casualties.

The coalition had intercepted several missiles and drones earlier in the day, including threats over Riyadh and near Khamis Mushait. A phone alert warned Riyadh residents of an aerial threat. Witnesses described seeing a projectile cross the sky above a major avenue before an explosion.

These strikes follow days of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. An attack on 10 October killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, the deadliest incident inside the kingdom in more than a decade. The airport remains closed until at least 17 October. Airlines have cancelled flights. Some business events scheduled in the capital, including parts of the World Petroleum Congress, have been affected.

The Houthis say their actions are retaliation for Saudi coalition operations in Yemen. The coalition has conducted air strikes on Houthi-controlled areas, including oil sites in western Yemen, and warned residents near a fuel facility in Sanaa to leave. The fighting has continued despite earlier ceasefire periods.

Saudi Arabia possesses one of the region's most advanced air defence networks. Repeated successful strikes on the capital and on energy infrastructure nevertheless expose gaps that the Houthis have exploited with a mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. The attacks complicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's plans to position the kingdom as a hub for tourism, finance, and international events.

The escalation occurs against the backdrop of the wider regional conflict that began with the Iran war earlier in 2026. Houthi capabilities have grown since the previous round of fighting with the Saudi-led coalition. Both sides have issued statements framing their actions as defensive or retaliatory. No immediate diplomatic channel has produced a pause in the exchanges.

Riyadh's airport closure and the damage to civilian areas in the capital will force Saudi authorities to balance security requirements with the continuity of commercial and diplomatic activity. Further intercepts or strikes are likely while the current cycle of retaliation continues.