Houthi armed forces attack Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia, another dangerous moment in the Middle East conflict

Saudi Arabia's King Khalid Airport, Riyadh, was attacked by missiles on Saturday and Sunday (October 10 and 11), marking another dangerous moment in a region already full of tension and conflict.

The two attacks killed 14 people and injured more than 300 people. The airport is one of the most important infrastructures in the Kingdom.

Yemen's Houthi armed forces later warned airlines not to use Saudi airports, raising concerns about the safety of civil aviation in the region.

Saudi Arabia was caught off guard.

The Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabian territory in recent weeks, but attacks in the past few days have targeted the country's critical infrastructure, the capital's main airport, and apparently easily breached Saudi air defenses.

The physical damage can be quickly repaired, but the country's reputation as a safe and stable haven is taking a serious hit.

In addition to launching a series of attacks on airports, the Houthis also seek to control strategically important locations along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This further increases the risk to the safety of shipping in this important sea lane, although the Yemeni government says it has "secured" the strait.

The civil war in Yemen has lasted for more than ten years, with the warring parties being the internationally recognized Yemeni government and backed by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthi armed forces backed by Iran. The war has killed thousands and plunged Yemen into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

From the "Three Treasures of the Middle East" to the "Four Treasures of the Middle East", the relationship between Riyadh and air traffic in the four places across the Taiwan Strait

Travelers from across the Taiwan Strait and four places are no strangers to the "Three Treasures of the Middle East" - Qatar Airways, Emirates and Ethiad - and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is striving to become the fourth treasure.

Riyadh Air, established in 2023, is actively expanding its routes. The Civil Aviation Administration of China just approved Riyadh Air's license to operate flights between Beijing and Shanghai in July this year. Beijing is scheduled to have three flights per week and Shanghai four flights per week.

Prior to this, China Southern Airlines operated direct passenger flights from Riyadh to Guangzhou Baiyun and Shenzhen Baoan, and Hong Kong Cathay Pacific operated passenger flights from Riyadh to Hong Kong. Saudi Arabian Airlines also operates cargo flights from Riyadh to Guangzhou Baiyun.

In May last year, FedEx launched a round-trip route from Riyadh to Riyadh via Europe, and used transit to Guangzhou and Shanghai as a selling point.

However, both China Southern Airlines and Cathay Pacific routes are currently suspended. In recent years, the Hong Kong SAR government has made great efforts to expand passenger sources from the Muslim world in the Middle East, and the Cathay Pacific Riyadh route is regarded as an important bridge.

There is no doubt that the airport attack will hinder Riyadh's efforts to join the international aviation group in the Middle East.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a "Notice to Airmen" (NOTAM) on Sunday, urging pilots to exercise caution when entering and exiting Saudi airspace.

"The threat may pose a potential risk to aircraft at all flight altitudes, including through airspace, and during the aircraft's approach and departure phases."

This NOTAM applies to all US airlines and is valid until December 10.

This is a complex and often confusing geopolitical conflict, and this escalation needs to be understood within the context of tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel.

The kingdom has not faced such a serious threat since al-Qaeda launched its insurgency in the mid-2000s.

The Saudi government overcame this challenge through effective actions to win over the people. It then weathered the Arab Spring uprisings that swept across the region, toppling leaders in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen.

Even after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Riyadh in March, Saudi Arabia only downplayed the incident with some annoyance.

But this time is different. Saudi Arabia has perhaps one of the most powerful air forces in the Middle East and has been launching devastating airstrikes against Houthi positions. Despite this, the other side managed to control large swathes of the country, especially in the north and west.

However, the Houthis know exactly where to strike back: the heartland of the Saudi economy, where it is most vulnerable.

As part of the "Axis of Resistance", the Houthis are an important strategic partner of Iran. From Jizan on the Red Sea coast to the petrochemical complexes of Khurais, the Houthis are firing explosive drones and missiles with deadly accuracy.

The Red Sea shipping route has grown in importance because the Strait of Hormuz (Strait of Hormuz) on the other side of the Gulf has not yet been fully opened to traffic since the United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement to end their war.

Targeting ships in the Red Sea is another way the Houthis are trying to exert influence. The attacks have caused damage to the global economy, a key bargaining chip in Tehran's hands.

In early September, the White House stated that it would not directly intervene in the conflict in Yemen, but may provide intelligence support to Saudi Arabia. The White House later confirmed that it had provided intelligence and deployed military experts to Saudi Arabia.

However, the situation may have taken a new turn after the latest attack on Riyadh, which killed an American citizen.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Saturday's attack was "terrible" and suggested he might join forces with Saudi Arabia to intervene militarily.

"We're going to make a decision. We're going to move very quickly," Trump said.

But that seems unlikely at the moment, at least until next month's crucial U.S. midterm elections.

When Trump was successfully re-elected in 2024, he promised to end the United States' role in wars around the world. Still, the United States is currently involved in three unresolved conflicts in the Middle East, in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.