Debris from an intercepted ballistic missile caused damage to a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, authorities reported on Saturday. The Saudi civil defence agency confirmed that fragments from the missile fell onto the two sites, causing material harm, although no injuries were immediately disclosed.
The missile interception followed an attack claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which targeted several locations in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. These recent attacks mark an escalation in hostilities amid intensified fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed government troops in Yemen.
The explosions rattled Riyadh, prompting diplomatic missions to order their staff to shelter inside embassies. Several international schools implemented precautionary measures; at least one relocated students to a basement for safety. Additionally, some companies in the King Abdullah Financial District evacuated employees. Disruptions at King Khalid International Airport were significant, with numerous flights delayed or canceled.
The blasts represented some of the most pronounced disturbances in Riyadh since the flare-up of the Middle East conflict earlier this year, following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. Despite the severity of the incident, Saudi authorities did not issue immediate public emergency alerts akin to previous periods of heightened tension.
The missile attacks on Riyadh followed assaults earlier in the week on two international airports that caused fatalities and injuries. On Tuesday and Wednesday, three people were killed and 36 wounded in attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport. According to the Saudi civil aviation authority, victims included an Egyptian and an Algerian at Abha airport and a Sudanese national in Riyadh.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for these strikes, which involved ballistic missiles and drones targeting Abha and King Khalid airports, as well as the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree asserted that the attack on Riyadh’s airport had disrupted air traffic.
The Saudi-led coalition stated that it intercepted the ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and destroyed the launch platform. It condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure and warned that such actions “will not go unpunished.” The coalition also reported having struck 82 Houthi military targets, including missile facilities, command centers, communication networks, and gathering sites.
The escalation coincides with a renewed phase of Yemen’s civil conflict, which erupted again in July after a truce lasting four years. The Houthis resumed their offensive against forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government, prompting increased Saudi involvement in the conflict.