Houthis say they targeted 'sensitive sites' in Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu

Yemen's Houthis said on Saturday they launched missile and drone strikes targeting "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and Aramco oil facilities in the Saudi port city of Yanbu.

The group said the strikes responded to what it called Saudi attempts to target Sana'a. The claim came hours after residents reported blasts in the Saudi capital.

What did the Houthis say they targeted in Saudi Arabia?

The Houthis said they carried out two operations against Saudi targets. One aimed at "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and the other at Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, according to a Telegram statement.

"In response to the Saudi enemy's criminal attempts to target the capital Sana'a... the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out two successful military operations using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said, in a statement on Telegram.

"The first targeted sensitive sites in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu."

What happened in Riyadh on Saturday?

Saudi authorities issued an overnight air raid alert, the first such warning since fighting in neighbouring Yemen intensified this month. Hours after the early morning alert, residents told AFP they had heard what sounded like a round of explosions echoing through parts of the capital.

The Houthi statement came after firefighters extinguished a blaze on a fuel tank emblazoned with the logo of Saudi oil giant Aramco. The tank was at a fuel depot near Riyadh's international airport, according to an AFP journalist. Tracking website FlightRadar24 reported "major problems" at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, before normal traffic began to resume.

What is behind the escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia?

Yemen's Houthis have staged a lightning offensive, seizing swathes of territory. The internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, has been scrambling to respond.