Riyadh rocked by explosions as Iranian strikes in Hormuz rise

Saudi Arabia’s capital came under intense attack from the Houthis on Monday night local time after the Yemeni group claimed it targeted Riyadh’s airport, following repeated strikes on the city over the weekend. Yemen’s Houthis said on Monday that they targeted the airport with a ballistic missile and also claimed to have targeted King Khalid Air Base near Khamis Mushait. One western official in Riyadh confirmed to Middle East Eye multiple blasts and explosions across the capital, as video footage on social media appeared to show raging fires. MEE could not independently confirm the video. The strikes underscore a widening of the war in Yemen and pose a serious challenge to Saudi Arabia’s economic ambitions. The Houthis' attacks on Saudi Arabia come against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East, with the region facing the potential of a return to US-Israeli attacks on Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that they attacked a supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz trying to leave the waterway. The strike would mark the third attack on vessels in two days. Read more: Riyadh rocked by explosions as Iranian strikes in Hormuz rise