Saudi Arabia warns of potential danger in Yanbu oil hub as Houthi attacks continue

Saudi Arabia issued alerts ​on Thursday warning of potential danger ‌in Yanbu, ​the kingdom's Red Sea oil export hub, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis continue attacks on the kingdom that have opened another ‌front in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen said it destroyed a missile launched by the group towards Islam's holy city of Medina. The kingdom's civil defence ‌also issued emergency alerts for the southeastern area of Sharurah that borders Yemen. The Houthis had ‌yet to claim any attack on the kingdom on Thursday.

They said on Wednesday they had attacked Riyadh's international airport while Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the kingdom. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the attack. The Syrian leader witnessed ⁠the signing ​of a defence agreement ⁠alongside Crown Prince Mohammed — their second meeting in Saudi Arabia in less than a month.

No details were provided ⁠on what the agreement entails. Reuters reported last month that Damascus was carefully weighing providing military assistance to ​Riyadh. Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter and a key US ally, has been ⁠requesting assistance from countries ranging from the US to Europe and the Middle East, for both defensive and offensive ⁠support ​in its renewed war against the powerful Yemeni militia.

Egypt last month gave approval for its military, one of the region's biggest, to provide help to the kingdom. Meanwhile, Turkey ⁠is set to ratify a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that includes a ⁠collective defence clause, committing ⁠NATO's second-largest army to Riyadh's defence. Britain said in October it will fly fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi cities ‌from Houthi aerial ‌attacks.