Yemen's Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones targeting Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery and Riyadh defense ministry on October 27, 2026, marking a major escalation in West Asia. The Saudi-led coalition intercepted several missiles over Riyadh and the Eastern Region, while a contained fire was reported at Ras Tanura. The attacks follow Egypt's October 26 vote authorizing military support for Riyadh and diplomatic talks in Tehran.
Attacks on Ras Tanura oil refinery
- ▪Maritime security agency Vanguard and Bloomberg News reported that a fire near Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery and terminal was contained on October 27, 2026
- ▪The Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting three ballistic missiles launched by Houthi forces toward Saudi Arabia's Eastern Region
- ▪Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that Houthi forces launched a ballistic missile targeting Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery
- ▪Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura energy complex along the Gulf coast has a refining capacity of 550,000 barrels per day
Attacks targeting Riyadh
- ▪Houthi forces claimed on October 27, 2026 that they targeted Saudi Arabia's defense ministry in Riyadh, though Saudi authorities did not confirm the attack
- ▪The Saudi-led coalition stated that it intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh
- ▪Explosions shook Riyadh on October 27, 2026 as Saudi civil defense issued air raid alerts prompting residents to seek shelter
Egyptian military authorization and Houthi reaction
- ▪The Egyptian Parliament voted on October 26, 2026 to authorize President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to send military support to defend Saudi Arabia
- ▪Mohammed Ali al-Houthi declared on Telegram that Houthi forces are not afraid of any military alliance formed to assist Saudi Arabia
- ▪Houthi political bureau member Mohammed Ali al-Houthi stated on October 27, 2026 that Egypt's military authorization in support of Saudi Arabia constituted a declaration of war against Yemen
Mecca mutual defense pact and regional diplomacy
- ▪Egypt has stated that it is considering joining the Mecca mutual defense pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan
- ▪Saudi Arabia's defense minister, Pakistan's army chief, and Turkey's intelligence chief met Iranian officials in Tehran on October 26, 2026 to discuss de-escalating regional conflict
- ▪Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact in Mecca stipulating that an attack on one member country is considered an attack on all three
Clashes near the Bab el-mandeb Strait
- ▪Houthi forces stated on October 27, 2026 that they repelled an advancing Saudi-backed force near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait using ballistic missiles and heavy weaponry
- ▪Houthi forces captured swathes of Yemen's Red Sea coastline in September 2026, advancing toward the Bab el-Mandeb shipping route
History of the Saudi-Houthi conflict
- ▪The military war between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi forces originally began in 2015 following the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in September 2014
- ▪Escalating clashes between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels shattered a United Nations-brokered truce originally established in 2022
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