Houthis Claim Attacks on Riyadh Airport and Saudi Oil Pipeline
Yemen's Houthi rebels launched attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Saudi Arabia's East-West crude oil pipeline, Anadolu Agency reported.
The Houthi rebels claimed to have targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile and attacked pumping stations along the East-West crude oil pipeline with drones, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported on Monday.
A Saudi-led coalition spokesperson announced that a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh had been intercepted.
The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, posted about the attacks on social media.
The East-West Pipeline, operated by Saudi Aramco, is a crucial crude oil transportation route in Saudi Arabia, stretching 1,200 kilometers from the Abqaiq area to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast.
The pipeline provides an overland alternative for transporting oil to the Red Sea, avoiding maritime shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since the Houthis seized control of Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014.
The Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemen's internationally recognized government since March 2015, and clashes between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis have intensified recently.
Background
The conflict in Yemen has resulted in significant humanitarian and economic challenges, with the Houthis accusing Saudi Arabia of being responsible for attacks against them.
The Houthi rebels have targeted Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and drones, leading to increased tensions between the two parties.
