Key facts
- Qatar condemned Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Riyadh and other Saudi cities.
- Qatar called the attacks a violation of Saudi sovereignty and international law.
- Saudi air defenses intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh.
- The Houthis claimed responsibility for missile strikes and intensified efforts to control Red Sea coastline.
- The US and Saudi Arabia lack a clear plan to counter Houthi advances.
Qatar condemned Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Riyadh and the targeting of civilians and infrastructure in Yemen, calling the actions a "blatant violation" of Saudi sovereignty and a breach of international law. The Qatari foreign ministry expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and supported its security measures while rejecting assaults on civilians.
Saudi Arabia confirmed on Saturday that Houthi rebels fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh at dawn, the first targeting the capital since an escalation in fighting. The Saudi-led coalition stated its air defenses intercepted the missile and thwarted separate attempts to target Taif, Baish, Farasan, and the coastal city of Yanbu. Residents in Riyadh reported hearing an explosion and seeing smoke near the international airport, where a tanker with an Aramco logo caught fire.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility, stating the strikes were retaliation for Saudi attempts to target Sanaa. The State Department and US embassies issued security alerts due to the "potential for unforeseen escalation" and Houthi hostilities against Saudi Arabia.
The recent strikes are part of an intensified campaign by the Houthis to seize control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline and the vital Bab al-Mandeb strait. This offensive has exposed limitations in Saudi military capabilities, with reports suggesting the kingdom is critically low on missile interceptors and has requested urgent air defense support from France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt. Defense pacts with Turkey and Pakistan have yielded limited immediate action, with Turkey warning Saudi Arabia to stay out of the broader Iran-US conflict and Pakistan stating it would act "when the time comes."
The Trump administration has signaled it will not directly participate in kinetic strikes against the Houthis, limiting US involvement to intelligence sharing and targeting data. Despite Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly requesting US military strikes twice last week, those requests were rebuffed. President Trump has publicly stated a desire to keep American forces out of the conflict.