Houthis strike Riyadh jet-fuel depot as Turkey, Pakistan vow Saudi Arabia support

Iran: The Latest

This episode explores the recent escalation in the conflict between Iran and the US, specifically focusing on Houthi missile strikes on Saudi Arabian

Key takeaways

• A Houthi ballistic missile strike hit jet fuel facilities at an Aramco depot near Riyadh's international airport, causing visible flames and flight disruptions.
• Pakistan's military chief spokesman Ahmed Sharif Shaudhari pledged that Pakistan stands with Saudi Arabia 'physically' to defend against aggression.

Main topics

• Houthi-Saudi escalation
• Mecca Defence Pact activation

Notable quotes

We will go to any extent. We are there and we will continue to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any aggression.

Conclusion

The episode provides a sobering look at how localized proxy conflicts

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:03) The Telegraph. Speaker 3 (0:08) In 2018, a billionaire diamond tycoon accused of one of the world's biggest ever bank frauds went missing. This is the story of the rise and fall of Nirav Modi. And of how we caught him. Speaker 4 (0:23) He was in the news all the time. Where is Nirav Modi? Why can we not find him? Speaker 3 (0:27) He's one of the most sought-after criminals in India. You owe a lot of people a lot of money, Mr Modi. Who Speaker 4 (0:32) would very much like to know where you are. Speaker 3 (0:34) Sorry, no comment. The Diamond King. A new podcast from The Telegraph. Speaker 1 (0:45) I'm Venetia Rainey and this is Iran The Latest. It's Monday, 21st of September, 2026, the seventh month of the war between the US and Iran. On today's episode, the Houthis have attacked Riyadh for the first time in this round of the war. Turkey and Pakistan have said they will help Saudi Arabia. Are we about to see the NATO-style Mecca Defence Pact activated? Plus, we get the view from Bahrain about what Gulf states will be asking Trump for at tomorrow's key meeting in the U.S. as the president weighs an escalation in the conflict. Speaker 4 (1:15) A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attacks. Speaker 4 (1:34) For the first time ever, the U.S. Navy used a surface sea drone in combat to strike Iranian targets. Speaker 1 (1:43) Does Speaker 2 (1:44) anyone really think that someone can tell Speaker 4 (1:47) President Trump what to do? Come on. Speaker 1 (1:51) To discuss all of this, I'm joined by Ahmed Kouzai, a Bahraini analyst and writer, speaking to me from Manama. Welcome back onto the podcast. Speaker 2 (1:57) It's really great to be back. Speaker 1 (1:59) Okay, so let's start with what's happened in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, because that is the biggest military action that we've seen on the ground in the last few days. So Yemen's Houthis targeted Riyadh with a ballistic missile on Saturday for the first time since the conflict escalated. Now, this was confirmed by Saudi Arabia, so we don't just have this from the Houthis. The assault came at dawn on Saturday and was intercepted, according to a statement by the Saudi-led coalition forces that are fighting the Houthis in Yemen. There were pictures of large plumes of smoke and flames seen near the Saudi capital's international airport. So we saw flights disrupted temporarily on Saturday. An AFP journalist reported at the time that firefighters could be seen trying to extinguish flames of a burnt out fuel tank belonging to a Ramco. We've now got some more reporting on that in the Wall Street Journal. They're citing officials with knowledge of the incident that the strike hit jet fuel facilities at the airfield's fuel depot. No casualties, but this came as part of a wider barrage. And apparently this is the only thing that either got through or that the interceptor debris caused damage to. So the Saudi civil defence sent out phone alerts overnight, Friday to Saturday, warning of potential danger in Riyadh and several other regions before issuing an all-clear on Saturday morning. According to the Saudi-led coalition forces, the Houthis also tried to hit civilian infrastructure in Yambu. So that's that key port city on the Red Sea, which is the end point for the east-west pipeline. They also targeted the cities of Taif, Baish and Farasan. No reports of casualties or damage anywhere there. This all marries with a statement that we've had from the Houthis saying that they fired a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones to attack what they described as sensitive sites in Riyadh and Aramco state oil and gas company facilities in Yambu on the coast. Ahmed, this is quite a significant escalation. How long can Saudi Arabia absorb these sorts of attacks without escalating further itself? Speaker 2 (3:50) The question is not just about Saudi Arabia, because as we have all noticed that Ansarullah joined this round of war only lately. I mean, they've been quiet since everything erupted in February of this year. This tells us one thing, that Iran is feeling cornered. That's why they are sending their minions basically to escalate the war, relieve the pressure on Iran. and expand the war at the same time. Now, we're not just talking about the Strait of Hormuz. We're as well talking about the Strait of Bab al-Mandab, and even later on, we'll be talking about the Suez Canal. This is calling for even the sovereignty and how much is endangered. And here I'm talking about sovereignty of even later on Egypt. We're talking about the involvement of Sudan as much as the disruption of the international power supply. not just from one side, which is the Strait of Hormuz, but even Bab al-Mandab and the Suez Canal later on. That tells us one thing even bigger. First of all, we have to understand that the capabilities of the Ansarullah are not as much as they are glorified. These sites have been aimed by the Iranians. The Houthis do not possess any technology to show them where to hit, unless or beside the fact that it has been supplied by the Iranians. Speaker 1 (5:15) So they're providing targeting sort of information, just like we believe the Russians and Chinese have helped Iran to target US bases. Okay. Speaker 2 (5:22) Totally, yes. Speaker 1 (5:24) That's really interesting. I want to come on to Egypt later because I think you're right, that's a key country and we need to think about how they're going to react to all of this. But first, I just want to... Look at the Mecca Defense Pact, because this was signed with a lot of fanfare earlier in summer between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey. This is the first real test, or I suppose the first real test was when the Houthis started firing in Saudi Arabia a couple of weeks ago. maybe this is the first real test within the test. Islamabad have hinted that they could join the war. I'm just going to read out a statement from Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Shaudhari, the Pakistani military chief spokesman. He said, Pakistan fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically. And I would like to underscore here the word. physically. We will go to any extent. We are there and we will continue to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any aggression. We had something similar, that was over the weekend, we had something similar from Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan. He said Ankara would have no difficulty in meeting any military needs. We observe very serious attacks on Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. We have an alliance agreement in place and we stand by our word. Do you think we're going to see this NATO-style defence pact invoked in these two countries, join the conflict somehow? Speaker 2 (6:37) Seeing is believing. I mean, we've heard all the talk. We are yet to see the action. The MECA pact was signed just, I think, three or four days after the Maritime Alliance was formed, with much larger numbers. Both the pact and the alliance are yet to be seen in action either by the two states, the two. Islamic states, I'm talking about Pakistan and Turkey, defending Saudi Arabia as a start, as well as the other alliance that was formed to protect the maritime pass we just spoke about earlier, with no action of no value. Yet, we have to give them a chance since the pact was recently signed. I'm not sure what kind of calibration was agreed, how was it agreed, but since both countries made the statements. We are waiting for them to take action in the next at least 24 hours. Speaker 1 (7:30) What will be holding them back? I mean, what kind of things will they be considering? These are two countries with quite significant militaries and air forces. Speaker 2 (7:37) Logistics, I think. Since Saudi is involved with them, I'm sure they have to cross paths with other agreements. I'm not sure about that. But as I said, I mean, over the next period, we have to see something happening. Otherwise... it wouldn't stand the test of time. That being said, the significance of