Houthis attack Saudi capital in escalation
The gist
Saudi Arabia said the Houthis tried to attack Riyadh with a ballistic missile.
The strike threatens global oil supplies and the main alternative Red Sea export route.
How it unfolded
- Sep 16, 2026Saudi Arabia said the Houthis tried to attack Mecca with a drone that it said was intercepted, calling the security of the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad a "red line".
- Sep 17, 2026The first civilian casualty was reported as Saudi civil defense said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia.
- Sep 18, 2026Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had foiled unspecified "criminal attempts" in Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia and vowing a response. The UN Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms" continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and Houthi military escalation in Yemen.