Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi terrorist organization launched a ballistic missile toward the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday, as part of a broader wave of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition confirmed that a Houthi ballistic missile had been fired toward Riyadh at dawn and said Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed it.
According to the coalition, Saudi defenses also thwarted attempted Houthi attacks targeting civilian areas and infrastructure in Baysh, Taif, the Farasan Islands and Yanbu.
Earlier Saturday, Saudi Civil Defense issued aerial threat warnings in Riyadh and Al-Kharj, southeast of the capital, before later announcing that the danger had passed.
Reuters reported that residents heard explosions in Riyadh. A Reuters witness also saw flames and thick black smoke rising near King Khalid International Airport.
An AFP journalist at the scene reported that firefighters extinguished a blaze involving a fuel tank bearing the Saudi Aramco logo at a fuel depot near the airport. AFP also verified footage showing black smoke rising above airport buildings.
Saudi authorities have not publicly established that the fire was caused by a successful Houthi strike.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later claimed responsibility for a large-scale operation against Saudi Arabia, saying the organization had used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
According to Saree, one operation targeted what he described as "sensitive sites" in Riyadh, while another targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
The Houthis claimed that the operations were successful. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed that the targets identified by the Houthis were hit, and the Saudi-led coalition said attacks on Yanbu and several other locations had been thwarted.
Saree said the attacks were carried out in response to Saudi strikes and what he described as attempts to target Sanaa.
Saturday's attack comes amid an escalation in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with the Iran-backed organization increasing its missile and drone attacks against the kingdom in recent weeks.
On Thursday, Saudi authorities said falling debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident and wounded two others in Taif.
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Houthis since 2015.