Houthis Claim Ballistic Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport, Airlines Halt Flights to Saudi Capital
Yemen's Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, stating that the strike caused significant damage to an aircraft on the ground.
Strike Disrupts Air Travel to Saudi Capital
The Iran-aligned rebel group, which has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, announced the attack as part of its ongoing campaign targeting Saudi Arabia. The missile strike prompted immediate concern over the safety of civilian aviation in the region, with several international airlines moving swiftly to suspend their flight operations to Riyadh in response to the incident.
Airlines Respond With Precautionary Suspensions
A number of carriers announced temporary halts to services into the Saudi capital following the Houthi claim, citing passenger safety as the primary concern. The suspensions added to the disruption caused by the attack and raised fresh questions about the vulnerability of major civilian infrastructure to missile strikes originating from the Yemen conflict.
Escalation in Regional Tensions
The latest strike represents a continued pattern of Houthi aggression directed at Saudi Arabian targets, including civilian and economic infrastructure. The group has repeatedly launched missile and drone attacks against the kingdom as part of what it describes as retaliation for Saudi military operations inside Yemen.
Saudi authorities had not issued an immediate official confirmation of the extent of the damage at the time of the announcement, though the Houthis maintained that the ballistic missile caused considerable harm to at least one aircraft at the airport.
The development is being closely monitored by regional observers, as escalating attacks on civilian airports carry significant implications not only for Saudi Arabia but also for broader aviation safety and stability across the Middle East.
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aiyo those poor passengers at the airport, must have been terrifying