Chiara Nava The war in Yemen is once again shaking the heart of Saudi Arabia. On the night of September 19, an air raid warning sounded for the first time since the start of the new phase of the conflict in the capital, Riyadh , where residents reported hearing explosions. Shortly thereafter, a column of black smoke was seen rising near King Khalid International Airport, as firefighters battled a fire that had broken out in a fuel storage area.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack , claiming they had hit several " sensitive sites " in the capital and Aramco oil facilities in Yanbu. The claim was released by the movement's military spokesman, Yahya Saree, who described an operation conducted with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. The incident comes just hours after the attack on the Saudi air base in Ta'if, which killed an Italian Eurofighter.
According to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto , no Italian soldiers were involved.
The alarm in Riyadh and the precedent of the Italian Eurofighter
The attack on the capital represents a further escalation in the conflict. Saudi authorities raised an air threat alert for Riyadh and nearby Al-Kharj; the all-clear was subsequently declared.
The explosions were heard in several areas of the capital, while images released in the following hours showed flames and a large cloud of smoke near the airport.
Air traffic disruptions also occurred, with cancellations and delays in the early hours of the day. The situation gradually returned to normal. This new attack follows the one that occurred on the night of September 17-18 against the King Fahd Air Base in Ta'if. On that occasion, an Italian Air Force F-2000 Eurofighter, stationed near the base, was hit during the offensive. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that no Italian personnel were injured.
The incident has also brought the security of the Italian contingent deployed in the region back into the spotlight. The Houthis have repeatedly linked their actions to the war waged against them by Saudi Arabia , while their offensive is gradually affecting Saudi infrastructure and strategic areas. The movement, which controls vast areas of northern Yemen and part of the Red Sea coast, also claimed responsibility for the attack on Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
The diplomatic front and Iran's conditions
The military escalation is part of a broader regional scenario, in which the issue of relations between the United States and Iran also remains open. Tehran has communicated through mediators the conditions for a possible return to negotiations with Washington . Among the demands indicated are an end to hostilities, the release of frozen assets, and the lifting of the naval blockade. Iran's position was communicated by Mohsen Rezaei , secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who stated that the messages were conveyed through regional mediators. Tehran also reiterated its readiness to continue the dialogue if its conditions are not met.
Meanwhile, on the Yemeni front, attacks against Saudi targets demonstrate how volatile the situation remains. The Houthis' claim of responsibility for the attacks on Riyadh and Yanbu came after a night of high alert in the Saudi capital, while the full extent of the damage to the affected infrastructure remains unclear. The new offensive thus increases pressure on Riyadh and adds a further element of risk to foreign military forces present in the country, including the Italian contingent.