Houthis fire missiles at Riyadh

Saudi air defenses engaged hostile projectiles over the capital on Sunday morning.

The Saudi-led coalition stated that it intercepted two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and other parts of the kingdom. The coalition attributed the ballistic missiles to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Although no immediate claim of responsibility was filed, the Houthis have asserted ownership of similar attacks in the past.

Falling shrapnel from the interceptions struck a building owned by Aramco, the state-owned oil giant, in the King Abdullah Financial District. Witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity reported hearing a loud explosion. They described heavy damage on multiple floors and noted that exterior glass was shattered on other levels. The Saudi energy ministry described the incident as causing minor damage to the structure due to falling shrapnel. The ministry confirmed that there were no casualties.

Aramco and the Saudi Center for International Communication did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The coalition also reported intercepting a separate ballistic missile overnight that targeted the southern region of Saudi Arabia. This area borders Yemen and has faced repeated Houthi strikes. These events follow Saudi airstrikes on Saturday near Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital, where Houthi officials said at least 27 people were killed.

In the Sea of Oman, the UAE National Guard reported rescuing 22 crew members from a cargo ship that caught fire. The crew members, all of Arab nationalities, were in stable condition after receiving first aid. The National Guard did not identify the vessel or explain the cause of the fire. The UK Maritime Trade Operations, a British military body, stated that a tanker caught fire on Saturday approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman. It was unclear if this was the same vessel the UAE evacuated.

Commercial shipping risks remain high in the region. On Saturday, U.S. forces disabled a St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. military said the vessel attempted to breach the naval blockade of Iran, which is enforced around the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, the Iranian military announced late Saturday that two tankers struck mines in the Hormuz area and caught fire. The military did not specify the flags or destinations of the tankers.

In Israel, President Isaac Herzog designated Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government. Eisenkot is Benjamin Netanyahu’s main political rival and the country’s former military chief. Herzog made the decision late on Saturday after days of consultations with parties elected to the Knesset in the Oct. 27 election. The election resulted in no clear majority winner, dealing a blow to the incumbent prime minister, who lost his parliamentary majority.

Herzog’s designation does not guarantee that Eisenkot will become prime minister. Following an official ceremony on Sunday, Eisenkot began negotiations with potential coalition partners. He has up to six weeks to assemble a government. This task is complicated by the country’s deep political divisions and the ongoing aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants and the subsequent three years of war in Gaza and beyond.