Saudi Arabia said Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh, marking the first reported attack on the capital since fighting escalated with the Iran-backed group.

Saudi forces said the missile was intercepted, with no reported casualties or damage, while other attempted attacks on Saudi locations were also thwarted.

The Houthis claimed they targeted sensitive sites and Saudi oil facilities but provided no evidence, and their claims could not be independently verified.

Tensions have increased following a reported death from intercepted drone debris and a disputed Houthi attack near Mecca, NPR has reported.

Meanwhile, fighting has intensified inside Yemen, with the Houthis capturing strategic areas near the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait as Saudi Arabia seeks additional air-defense support.