Houthis launch missile attack on Saudi Arabia:Aramco building damaged in Riyadh; retaliation threatened after airstrike

A missile attack hit Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, damaging an Aramco oil company building. Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been blamed for the attack. The Saudi military said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles fired towards Riyadh. Saudi Arabia said the Aramco building suffered minor damage. The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack on the Aramco building, but had spoken of retaliation following two consecutive airstrikes in Sanaa. A threat alert had been issued in Riyadh Saudi Civil Defence had issued an alert over a possible threat in Riyadh. Videos that emerged on social media showed the windows on several floors of an Aramco building shattered. Some people also saw ambulances arriving at the site. However, Saudi Arabia said no one had been killed or injured in the attack. More than 60 people had been killed in airstrikes in Yemen A day before the missile attack on Riyadh, reports emerged of Saudi Arabian airstrikes in Yemen. The Houthis claimed that at least 33 people were killed in the attacks near the capital, Sana’a. Women and children were among those killed. Earlier, on 6 November, an attack was also carried out on a market in Yemen’s Taiz province, in which 30 people were killed, according to Houthi officials. The Houthis had also held Saudi Arabia responsible for the attack. Houthi leader Mahdi al-Mashat threatened Saudi Arabia on Saturday, saying that attacks carried out against the people of Yemen would be avenged. The Houthis say they will continue missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets as long as Saudi Arabia continues air strikes and the blockade in areas under their control. Intercepting missiles has become a challenge for Saudi Arabia According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Saudi Arabia spent around ₹7.8 lakh crore on defence last year. It is among the 10 countries with the highest defence spending in the world. Saudi Arabia has modern air defence systems such as US fighter aircraft, Patriot and THAAD. It has also bought weapons from France and the United Kingdom. Despite this, Saudi Arabia is finding it difficult to protect its vast territory and key sites. It faces threats from three directions: Iran to the east, Iran-backed fighters operating in Iraq to the north, and Houthi rebels in Yemen to the south. The Houthis are now using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and long-range drones simultaneously. This is increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia’s air defence systems. The Saudi military manages to intercept many missiles and drones, but some attacks breach its security perimeter. More than 1,600 people have been killed in the conflict so far Fighting resumed in Yemen in July between Houthi rebels and government forces. According to the United Nations, more than 1,600 people have been killed and more than 3 lakh people have been forced to leave their homes since then. Saudi Arabia is supporting the Yemeni government’s forces in this conflict. Since July, it has also been carrying out air strikes on Houthi positions. In response, Houthi rebels have also been attacking Saudi Arabia. Conflict between Saudi Arabia and Houthis began in 2015 The Houthis seized control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014. After this, Saudi Arabia joined forces with several countries and launched a military campaign against them in 2015. Saudi Arabia wanted Yemen’s internationally recognised government to return to power and the Houthis’ control to end. Despite years of air strikes, the Saudi-led coalition has been unable to completely push back the Houthis. The Houthis still control large parts of Yemen. The conflict has kept tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis simmering. ​