Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The uncertainty in the Middle East has intensified after Yemen’s Houthi group claimed it had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh with a ballistic missile.
The latest claim came after a series of attacks on Saudi airports. Saudi authorities confirmed that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport were targeted, with three ple killed and 36 others injured in the attacks.
At Riyadh airport, a Sudanese national was killed and eight people were injured, including five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and a Pakistani resident. At Abha International Airport, two people were killed and 28 others were injured. The victims included Algerian and Moroccan nationals.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said it was coordinating with the relevant authorities to assess the damage, verify the safety of airport facilities and take necessary measures to ensure passenger safety and secure civil aviation operations.
Houthis Warn Airlines Over Saudi Airspace
The latest attacks have disrupted aviation services in the region. The Houthis have also warned international airlines against continuing to operate flights through Saudi airspace.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group was renewing its warning to international airlines, claiming that Saudi airspace had become a theatre for its military operations. He said the warning did not apply to airspace over the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
The Houthi claim about the latest Riyadh attack came as Saudi Arabia continued to deal with repeated missile threats. The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis north of Riyadh.
Fighting Escalates Across Yemen and Saudi Arabia
The Houthis, a Yemen-based group aligned with Iran, have continued attacks on Saudi targets as fighting has intensified in Yemen.
The renewed conflict has also affected airports and civilian aviation. In Yemen, a missile landed near the runway at Aden International Airport shortly before a flight from Cairo was due to arrive, forcing the flight to divert to Jeddah.
The latest escalation comes amid fighting between Houthi forces and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. Saudi-backed forces have launched operations to regain territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The fighting has also worsened the humanitarian situation. More than 200,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the renewed fighting began, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Saudi Arabia has sought support from its allies as the conflict has intensified. The United States has also remained involved in the wider regional crisis, while President Donald Trump previously said the Houthis had assured Washington that they would not target American assets in the region.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has moved ahead with plans to acquire 48 F-35 fighter jets from the United States in a deal reportedly valued at $24.3 billion.