Houthis Claim Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport; Three Killed

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, asserting that the attack resulted in three fatalities and several injuries. The incident marks the third time this week the armed group has targeted the Saudi capital’s main aviation hub, further highlighting the widening scope of the regional conflict.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed the operation on the social media platform X, stating that Saudi armed forces successfully launched a ballistic missile that accurately struck its intended target and caused disruptions to airport functions.

The attack follows a significant escalation in the Yemeni civil war, which reignited in July and has increasingly spilled over into neighboring Saudi Arabia. Just one day prior to the airport strike, the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government in Yemen announced the launch of a major counteroffensive aimed at reclaiming territory held by the Houthis.

In conjunction with the military strikes, Saree issued a stern warning to international commercial carriers, urging them to cease all flights through Saudi airspace. “We reiterate our call and warning, for the last time, to all international airlines against continuing to operate flights through Saudi airspace,” he said.

According to United Nations estimates, the protracted conflict within Yemen has displaced more than 200,000 individuals. Meanwhile, the Yemeni government reported recent gains against Houthi fighters along the Red Sea coast and near the port city of Mocha. Coalition forces spokesperson Turki al-Maliki stated that 82 Houthi military targets, including missile depots and command centers, were destroyed in the provinces of Saada, Marib, Al Jawf, and Al Hudaydah, though independent verification of these claims was not immediately available.