Loud explosions were reported in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, and near state oil giant Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran on Tuesday, as escalating hostilities with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis fueled fears of a wider regional confrontation.
Six sources told Reuters that explosions were heard near Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran, which had been evacuated. One source reported seeing smoke rising from the facility, although the company had not issued an official statement confirming an attack or damage.
In Riyadh, a powerful blast was heard shortly after Saudi civil defense authorities warned residents of an incoming aerial threat.
"The city of Riyadh is facing a hostile aerial threat," an emergency alert sent to residents said.
The incidents followed threats by the Houthis to retaliate against Saudi airstrikes targeting rebel-held areas of Yemen.
Earlier Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition carried out fresh strikes on the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, according to the rebel-run Al Masirah broadcaster and local residents.
Witnesses reported powerful explosions hours after coalition aircraft targeted the al-Suhaba fuel facility west of the city.
The coalition had previously urged civilians to evacuate the Yemeni Oil Company facility and nearby storage areas ahead of possible strikes.
The company, however, said its storage facilities were empty and insisted that any attack would not disrupt fuel supplies. Despite those assurances, residents reported long lines at gas stations amid fears of shortages.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree warned that further Saudi strikes on Sanaa would trigger a "firm and painful" response against Riyadh.
The renewed violence follows a series of deadly Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including a strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Saudi authorities are investigating how their air defenses failed to intercept the missiles and drones used in the attacks.
The Saudi-led coalition said Tuesday that its forces had intercepted three drones north of Riyadh, although the claim could not be independently verified.
The latest escalation comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces battle the Houthis for control of strategic territory near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital shipping corridor connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Fighting intensified last month after Houthi forces seized key positions overlooking the waterway, prompting a Saudi-backed offensive to regain control.
Saudi Arabia's Cabinet warned Tuesday that the Houthis would face consequences for continued attacks on the kingdom.
"The Kingdom will not allow any threat to its security or to freedom of maritime navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait," the Cabinet said in a statement carried by Saudi state television.
Meanwhile, Yemen's Interior Ministry said Houthi attacks on the southwestern city of Taiz had killed six people and wounded 18 over the previous 24 hours.
A commander with Saudi-backed government forces said Houthi fighters had reached the outskirts of Taiz, with some entering the city despite fierce resistance.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the commander said the rebels had deployed substantial forces supported by short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
He identified the Kahboub mountains, which overlook the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the southern port city of Aden, as a critical battleground, adding that government forces had requested reinforcements.
The widening confrontation has disrupted regional aviation and raised concerns over commercial shipping through one of the world's most important maritime routes.
The Houthis renewed warnings Tuesday against using Saudi airspace, while several airlines have suspended flights to the kingdom following attacks on airports.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty condemned the attacks during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, urging the Houthis to immediately halt strikes against Saudi Arabia.
"There is no justification for these attacks, and they cannot be accepted," Abdelatty said, according to an Egyptian statement.
He also called for renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict between Iran and the United States and prevent further regional instability.
Washington has provided Saudi Arabia with intelligence, targeting assistance and military planning support but has so far refrained from directly striking Houthi positions.
Saudi Arabia has sought greater U.S. military involvement as the fighting intensifies, although analysts warn that direct American intervention could prompt the Houthis to further disrupt shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The latest developments underscore growing concerns that the conflict in Yemen could expand into a broader regional confrontation, threatening energy infrastructure, civilian aviation and international trade.