Saudi Arabia’s King Salman slams targeting of Mecca by ‘terrorist’ Houthis
Saudi Arabia is responding to a ballistic missile attack by Houthi rebels that struck a fuel depot at the Riyadh airport. While Saudi civil defence has since issued an all-clear for the capital, the strike caused smoke to be visible near the airport and triggered market volatility, with oil prices rising and Gulf stocks falling. King Salman has issued a rare rebuke, labeling the Houthis as terrorists and condemning their targeting of Mecca. Turkey and Pakistan have pledged support for Saudi Arabia following the escalation.
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- ✓ Saudi Arabia confirmed Houthi rebels attempted to attack Riyadh with a ballistic missile.
- ✓ An air attack set a fuel depot on fire at the airport in Riyadh.
- ✓ Saudi civil defence issued an all-clear for Riyadh after previous alerts.
- ✓ King Salman denounced the Houthis as terrorists for targeting Mecca.
What changed
Houthi rebels targeted a Riyadh airport fuel depot with a ballistic missile, prompting a rare public denunciation from King Salman.
Live updates
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King Salman Condemns Houthi Attacks After Riyadh Airport Fuel Depot Hit
Saudi Arabia is responding to a ballistic missile attack by Houthi rebels that struck a fuel depot at the Riyadh airport. While Saudi civil defence has since issued an all-clear for the capital, the strike caused smoke to be visible near the airport and triggered market volatility, with oil prices rising and Gulf stocks falling. King Salman has issued a rare rebuke, labeling the Houthis as terrorists and condemning their targeting of Mecca. Turkey and Pakistan have pledged support for Saudi Arabia following the escalation.
Why it matters
The incident occurs amidst an ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels. This escalation raises concerns regarding a broader regional confrontation involving Iran and the United States.
What is confirmed
- Saudi Arabia confirmed Houthi rebels attempted to attack Riyadh with a ballistic missile.
- An air attack set a fuel depot on fire at the airport in Riyadh.
- Saudi civil defence issued an all-clear for Riyadh after previous alerts.
- King Salman denounced the Houthis as terrorists for targeting Mecca.
- Oil prices increased following the attack on the Saudi capital.
- Gulf stocks declined after the Houthis claimed responsibility for the Riyadh attacks.
Still unconfirmed
- Reported explosions put the Saudi capital on edge.
What to watch next
- Outcomes of potential UN talks between the US and Iran
- Further official responses from the Houthi leadership regarding the Riyadh strike
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (12)
- Reuters — Saudi civil defence sends all-clear after alerts issued for capital Riyadh
- bbc.com — Smoke seen near Riyadh airport after air raid alerts in Saudi capital
- The New York Times — Reported Explosions Put Saudi Capital on Edge Amid Conflict With Houthis
- WSJ — Air Attack Sets Fuel Depot Ablaze at Airport in Saudi Capital
- AP News — Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile
- Reuters — Saudi, Gulf stocks fall after Houthis claim Riyadh attacks
- Yahoo Finance — Oil rises after Houthi attack on Saudi capital
- Al Jazeera — Saudi Arabia’s King Salman slams targeting of Mecca by ‘terrorist’ Houthis
- Forbes — The Houthis Are Escalating Attacks On Saudi Arabia—Here’s What That Means For U.S.-Iran War
- The Telegraph — Turkey, Pakistan vow to support Saudi Arabia after Houthis strike Riyadh fuel depot
- Reuters — Gulf stocks mixed ahead of potential US-Iran UN talks
- Dawn — Saudi king denounces Houthis in rare rebuke
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