Saudi Arabia has confirmed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile. The statement by the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis came long after the morning attempt, which the coalition said was intercepted.
It was the first attack targeting Riyadh since the escalation in fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudis.
The statement also said the Houthis tried to attack civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu and in Taif, Baysh and Farasan, but they were thwarted, giving no further details.
The Houthis earlier claimed, without providing evidence, that they had targeted sensitive sites in Riyadh and facilities of Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu, causing massive fires.