September 21st, 2026: Houthi Missiles Target Riyadh & Ukraine’s Biggest Moscow Drone Attack
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What sparked the episode’s opening and why is the Ole Miss win mentioned?
It's Monday, the 21st of September. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, I am on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up. Well, okay, before we get to what's first up, in a major development over the weekend, Ole Miss beats down LSU and their coach, he who must not be named, Saturday evening in Oxford. Amazing game. It was incredible and incredible energy and excitement throughout that stadium. Great job to Coach Pete and the young men of Old Miss. Haddy Tadi. All right, now let's get to the brief. First up, Houtti missiles and drones target Riyadh. And now Turkey says it could step in to help Saudi Arabia under a new trilateral defense pact that was recently signed between the Saudi Arabia.
Saudis, Turkey, and Pakistan. The escalation is raising the risk that this conflict expands into a much bigger regional war. More conflict. That's just what twenty twenty six needed. Later in the show, Ukraine launches its biggest drone attack yet on Moscow, hitting the Russian capital as voters participated in the nation's parliamentary elections. And I use the word elections loosely, given that there was no opposition to Putin on the ballot. Plus, President Trump announces a deal to expand the U.S. military presence in Greenland while leaving the strategically vital Arctic island under Danish sovereignty. Soverenity. So for the time being, no invasion of Greenland is on the calendar. And in today's back of the brief, Kim Jong un launches his Teddy out of the crib yet again.
North Korea launches two ballistic missiles into the sea just days after threatening to strengthen their nuclear capabilities. But first, today's PDB spotlight. The Middle East took a very dangerous turn toward a broader regional war this weekend. For the first time in the current Saudi Houtis escalation, the fighting reached Riyadh. Saudi Arabia says the Iranian backed Houtis launched a ballistic missile toward the capital early Saturday morning. Saudi air defenses intercepted it, but residents reported hearing explosions and later a huge column of black smoke could be seen rising near the King Kalade International Airport. The Hutis claimed that they had attacked what they called sensitive sites in Riyadh using missiles and drones.
The Wall Street Journal reports the assault apparently targeted jet fuel storage at the airport. The Houtis also claimed attacks elsewhere in the kingdom, including Yanbu on the Red Sea, where one of Saudi Arabia's most important oil pipelines terminates. Saudi officials say attacks were also attempted against Taif, Baish and And Farsan. This follows another serious incident just days earlier, when Saudi Arabia accused the Houtis of sending a drone toward Mecca. The Houtis denied targeting the Holy City, but Riyadh called the security of Mecca a red line. So the pressure is building quickly, which is the intention, of course, of the Iranian regime. It's fairly implausible that the Houthis are acting unilaterally here.
without the influence and guidance of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, which has personnel on the ground in Yemen working with the Houthis. The Houthis have been attacking Saudi territory since July, when they declared a naval blockade against the Saudi Kingdom and opened another front in the broader regional war. They've also seized important positions along Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the port of Molcha and And islands near the Babal Mendep, giving them a stronger position along one of the world's most important shipping routes. And Saudi Arabia is beginning to feel the strain. Regional officials tell the Associated Press that the kingdom is running low on missile defense interceptors after weeks of Houthi attacks.
Riyadh has reportedly asked France, Britain, Pakistan, and Egypt for additional air defense support, and they've reportedly asked the White House for military assistance in dealing with the Houthis, a request that was apparently rebuffed. The U.S.
How did Houthi missiles and drones target Riyadh and what does it mean for regional security?
continues to provide intelligence cooperation, but President Trump has so far resisted Saudi requests for direct American military help against the Houthis.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What sparked the episode’s opening and why is the Ole Miss win mentioned?
0:12–4:18
2
How did Houthi missiles and drones target Riyadh and what does it mean for regional security?
4:18–10:45
3
What is the new Saudi‑Turkey‑Pakistan defense pact and how could it expand the conflict?
10:45–17:59
4
Why are Saudi Arabia’s missile‑defense stocks low and which allies are being asked for help?
17:59–24:02
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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