Houthi strikes hit Saudi cities as Riyadh draws China, Pakistan and Turkey into the fray

The war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has reached the Kingdom’s largest cities and is pulling in outside powers to clamp it down. Yemen’s Houthis said they hit “sensitive” sites in Riyadh with missiles and drones on Saturday, hours after a fire broke out near Riyadh’s main airport and reports of explosions in the Olaya district, Reuters reports. The group also said it targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu using ballistic and cruise missiles. The Kingdom has not commented. Beyond the capital, Saudi civil defense also issued brief emergency alerts across Jeddah, Yanbu, Taif, and other cities over the weekend.

The Kingdom prevented other attacks on various civilian targets: Saudi air defense intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward the capital yesterday, according to a statement. The Houthis also attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Baish, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu, but the attacks were thwarted, the statement said.

The Kingdom is pulling in external players — with mixed results. Beijing has asked Tehran to help rein in the Houthis after a Saudi appeal, three Iranian sources told Reuters. China wants the conflict kept clear of its energy routes — around half its oil imports come from the region, and annual China-GCC trade runs to ~USD 300 bn. Tehran, whose oil exports rely 80%+ on Chinese buyers, replied that regional stability depends on ending the war with the US and Israel.

Pakistan and Turkey are being pulled in too: Pakistan’s army chief warned Iran that further escalation could push Islamabad to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh invokes the mutual-defense clause in the Makkah Defense Pact, the Financial Times reports. Turkey’s FM Hakan Fidan says Ankara is ready to help meet Saudi military needs, especially on technical issues.

But the mechanics are complicated: Any intervention needs a formal request from the state under attack, plus Turkish parliamentary ratification (expected October). Both Ankara and Islamabad carry longstanding ties with Iran, and Pakistan is leaning on Saudi financial support — a recent USD 3 bn loan and a USD 5 bn deposit extension. “None of this appears to be working,” a diplomat told the salmon-colored paper. “Everybody is waiting to see what happens over the next two weeks.”