Riyadh has come under a third consecutive day of Houthi attacks, with two aircraft reportedly struck at the Saudi capital’s main airport and debris from an intercepted missile hitting a kindergarten and medical clinic.
Children were reportedly forced to shelter in rooms without windows as the attacks continued, while residents received no phone alerts warning them of the incoming threat.
The strikes have raised fresh questions about Saudi Arabia’s ability to defend its capital as regional tensions escalate and Washington remains reluctant to provide direct military support against the Iran-backed Houthis.
According to The Wall Street Journal, US President Donald Trump has rejected Saudi requests for direct American military assistance against the group, although the Pentagon continues to share intelligence with Riyadh.
The Saudi government’s response has also drawn attention, with residents warned they could face legal consequences for filming the attacks, limiting the public’s ability to document the damage and disruption.
The latest escalation comes amid wider threats to regional energy security.
Hours before the reported strikes in Riyadh, a tanker off the coast of Qatar was hit in an attack that regional officials have attributed to Iran. The incident reportedly caused casualties, while Brent crude surged by 4 per cent to approximately $104 a barrel.
The combination of attacks on Saudi territory and threats to shipping has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf.
For Washington, the challenge is increasingly difficult to contain. Avoiding direct military involvement in Yemen reduces the risk of American forces being drawn into another regional conflict, but continued attacks on Gulf infrastructure could place renewed pressure on global oil supplies and fuel prices.
With the US midterm elections approaching, the political and economic consequences of sustained instability in the Gulf are also becoming harder to ignore.
The central question is whether Saudi Arabia can continue protecting its capital and critical infrastructure without direct American military intervention, particularly if Houthi attacks persist or intensify.
For now, Riyadh remains under pressure as the conflict threatens to spread beyond Yemen and further disrupt one of the world’s most strategically important energy-producing regions.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
