Riyadh rocked by explosions as Iranian strikes in Hormuz rise

Riyadh experienced multiple blasts and explosions on Monday night, with social-media footage appearing to show fires. A western official in the capital confirmed the explosions, although Middle East Eye could not independently verify the videos.

The Houthis claimed responsibility. They said they targeted King Khaled International Airport with a ballistic missile and also targeted King Khalid Air Base near Khamis Mushait. The article describes these claims against a backdrop of repeated strikes on Riyadh over the weekend.

Saudi Arabia said the airport would remain closed until 17 October. The attacks matter because Riyadh is preparing to host the Future Investment Initiative, a major conference for promoting investment. They also challenge the kingdom’s economic ambitions and raise concerns about the safety of visitors, businesses, and vital infrastructure.

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are a Yemeni political and armed movement rooted among the Zaydi Shia community. This background comes from established world knowledge, not the supplied article. They control much of northern Yemen, including Sanaa, and have fought Saudi Arabia and its partners in Yemen’s civil war.

The conflict began as a struggle over Yemen’s government and political power. Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in 2015 against the Houthi movement, which Riyadh views as closely aligned with Iran. The Houthis have since used missiles and drones against Saudi territory, while Saudi forces and allies have conducted operations in Yemen.

The article reports that the Houthis claimed attacks on Riyadh airport and a base near Khamis Mushait. It also says the United States largely observed a ceasefire agreed with the Houthis in May 2025. Continued attacks could put further pressure on Washington to intervene.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. This definition uses established world knowledge; the article focuses on the waterway’s strategic importance rather than describing its geography.

An attack on a tanker can disrupt the movement of crude oil, refined fuel, or other energy cargoes. In the article, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it attacked a supertanker trying to leave the waterway. That would be the third vessel attack in two days, according to the report.

The danger extends beyond one ship. Repeated attacks can make insurers, shipping companies, and governments treat the route as more dangerous. Vessels may face higher costs, delays, or rerouting. The article says the United States and Iran are competing for control of the strait, with each seeking to impose a blockade.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of global petroleum-liquids consumption and about one-fifth of global liquefied natural-gas trade in recent estimates. These figures come from established energy-market knowledge, because the supplied article does not provide a percentage. The exact share changes with market conditions.

It is called a chokepoint because large volumes of energy move through a narrow route with limited practical substitutes. If attacks make passage unsafe, tankers may slow down, reroute, or require greater protection. Even before supplies disappear, traders can price in possible disruption.

The article shows why this matters now. It reports an alleged attack on a supertanker and says the United States and Iran are contesting control of the waterway. Brent crude rose about two percent to $106 per barrel on Monday. Continued instability could amplify price and supply risks.

If attacks on Saudi Arabia and shipping through Hormuz continue, the immediate concern would be greater uncertainty over energy supplies and transport. Traders could bid up oil prices because they fear disrupted exports. Airlines could cancel or reroute flights, while governments and companies might increase security spending.

The article provides concrete warning signs. Riyadh’s international airport was scheduled to remain closed until 17 October after reported missile attacks. The Future Investment Initiative is due to take place weeks later, while the CEOs of ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies skipped another Riyadh energy conference’s opening day.

Longer term, repeated attacks could damage confidence in Saudi Arabia’s investment plans and deepen regional confrontation. The article says the attacks are putting more pressure on the United States to intervene in Yemen. It also describes rising US-Iran tensions around Hormuz, creating risks across energy markets, trade, and regional security.

Saudi Arabia can export oil without sending every barrel through Hormuz by using its East-West oil Pipeline. That route carries crude across the kingdom toward the Red Sea, allowing shipments to avoid the contested waterway. The article presents this option as part of Riyadh’s response to rising maritime risk.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom could add up to 1.2 million barrels per day of export capacity within seven to eight weeks. The mechanism would temporarily convert a gas pipeline running alongside the East-West oil Pipeline for oil transport. Riyadh was also looking to raise total export capacity to as much as 10 million barrels per day.

These routes cannot remove every constraint. Pipeline capacity, conversion work, storage, ports, and available tankers all limit how much oil can move and how quickly. The article does not quantify the East-West system’s full capacity, so the precise remaining buffer cannot be established from the supplied text.

An energy chokepoint concentrates trade in a narrow route. When fighting threatens that route, buyers and sellers cannot easily know whether cargoes will arrive on time. They therefore price in possible shortages, delays, insurance costs, and military protection. Those expectations can move markets before physical supplies are cut.

Hormuz illustrates the mechanism. The article reports a claimed attack on a supertanker and says the United States and Iran are competing to control the waterway. It also reports that Brent crude rose about two percent to $106 per barrel. Saudi Arabia is exploring extra export capacity through a pipeline to reduce its exposure.

The effects can spread through transport, manufacturing, food distribution, and investment decisions. Higher fuel costs raise operating expenses, while uncertainty can delay projects or deter visitors. If attacks persist, governments may seek alternative routes, increase security, or intervene militarily. The article links these risks to pressure on the United States over Yemen and wider US-Iran tensions.