Houthi attacks target Saudi capital as Türkiye vows support, Italy mulls Red Sea escorts

Explosions were heard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, twice on Saturday.

Residents received air-raid warnings before dawn — the first time Riyadh has sounded such alerts since conflicts between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia escalated.

Smoke was seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in the northeastern part of the capital following the second blast around midday, with some flights being delayed.

The Yemeni Houthi group claimed responsibility, saying it carried out two operations using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

According to a statement issued by the group on Saturday, the first targeted what it called "sensitive sites" in Riyadh, while the second hit facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in the coastal city of Yanbu. The group said both strikes succeeded and caused large fires, describing the operations as retaliation for Saudi airstrikes and Riyadh's accusations that Yemen attacked Mecca.

In a later statement, the Saudi-led coalition said that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh and thwarted attacks on Baish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu. Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said the attacks targeted "civilians and civilian objects" and vowed "appropriate measures" to deter further attacks.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that Türkiye stands ready to provide help to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed on August 7.

Under the agreement, an armed attack on any one of the three countries is considered an attack on all. Fidan said signatories are monitoring the situation and that Saudi military needs may center on technical matters, which Türkiye is equipped to meet.

He added that Türkiye does not accept Saudi Arabia being drawn into the conflict between the United States and Iran.

Meanwhile, Italian media reported that Italy is drafting plans to strengthen escort operations in the Bab el-Mandab Strait, and is prepared to deploy additional warships to keep commercial shipping lanes open.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has reportedly written to the European Union (EU) urging swift and effective action, warning that Italy will boost its own deployment if other EU members fail to contribute ships — and that those members should share the costs.

Bab el-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, has grown more critical for Europe-Asia trade since shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted since U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran in February.

Tensions have risen further in recent weeks: the Houthis intensified their offensive against Yemen's government forces, announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, captured the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Sept 10, and seized Perim Island — a strategically located island near Bab al-Mandab Strait — the following day.

Houthi attacks target Saudi capital as Türkiye vows support, Italy mulls Red Sea escorts

China's six-member wushu taolu team began its Asian Games campaign on Sunday, the first full day of competition at the 20th Asian Games, with five athletes making their debut.

Wushu at the Games is divided into taolu, which features choreographed martial arts routines, and sanda, a full-contact fighting discipline. The taolu competition runs from Sunday through Wednesday, Sept. 20-23, at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall in Nagoya, Japan.

The squad has completed two familiarization sessions at the venue and will contest in six of the eight taolu medal events, skipping the men's and women's Changquan, or long-fist, competitions.

The six athletes are aged from 25 to 35. Tong Xin is the only member with previous Asian Games experience.

"Apart from Tong Xin, who competed at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the remaining five athletes are making their Asian Games debuts. They are leading athletes from their provincial teams and seasoned competitors who have been tested at major events, including world championships and World Cups," said Li Qiang, head coach of China's wushu taolu team.

While the Asian Games will be new to most of the squad, their competition routines are not. The athletes have been refining them for more than three years, and in some cases for a decade.

"A wushu saying goes: 'Practice a form a thousand times, and the technique will come naturally.' After honing a movement day after day, year after year, our understanding of it and our feel for it change. Another saying is 'strive for perfection.' That is why we spend 10 years working on a single movement," said Li Jianming, a member of the team.

China's wushu team opens Asian Games campaign with five debutants

China's wushu team opens Asian Games campaign with five debutants