Houthis Claim Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport Amid Escalating Saudi-Yemen Conflict

Yemen’s Houthis have claimed a direct missile strike on Riyadh’s main international airport as part of a large-scale barrage targeting airports, military bases and oil infrastructure across Saudi Arabia.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Monday night that the group had carried out three operations using “a large number” of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones in response to intensified Saudi strikes on Yemen.

The first attack targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and achieved a “direct and precise hit,” Saree claimed, saying air traffic was disrupted. The second targeted Saudi Aramco’s refinery in Rabigh, where the group claimed a direct hit started fires. The third operation allegedly targeted Abha Airport, Khamis Mushait air base, the Aqeefah military camp and other “sensitive sites” in Najran and Jizan.

Saudi authorities have not addressed the specific claims of direct hits on the airport and refinery or said whether Houthi strikes caused disruption at King Khalid. The Foreign Ministry issued a broader statement condemning continued Houthi attacks on Riyadh and several other Saudi cities and “civilian and economic facilities,” while reiterating the kingdom’s right to respond.

Loud explosions were reportedly heard in northern Riyadh near King Khalid airport. An AFP journalist reported hearing a “powerful explosion,” while residents said blasts shook windows in the area.

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry has meanwhile renewed a warning that photographing, publishing or circulating information about missile and drone interception operations or impact sites could result in legal action. The same warning was originally issued earlier in the war. Saudi media republished it shortly after midnight amid the latest attacks.

The Houthis also warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace, declaring it a theater of military operations while exempting the airspace over Mecca and Medina. King Khalid airport remained operational, but Flightradar24 data showed substantial delays, with average delays reaching 38 minutes.

The group said the barrage was retaliation for 60 Saudi air and missile strikes on Sanaa and the provinces of Al-Jawf, Taiz, Hodeidah, Saada and Marib over the previous 24 hours, which it said caused civilian casualties. Saree claimed Saudi forces had carried out 1,576 strikes since the latest escalation began.

The exchange comes as Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies intensify a major counteroffensive against the Houthis. The Saudi-led coalition says about 100 fighter jets are providing round-the-clock air support as government forces attempt to retake territory lost along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The coalition claims to have destroyed 324 “high-value” Houthi targets.

Saudi-backed forces said on Monday that they had recaptured Dhubab and the nearby towns of Bab and Hadeid, with witnesses telling AP they saw government tanks and troops entering the towns. The Houthis have denied reports of a broader retreat, while fighting has also intensified around Taiz.

The US is also assisting the Saudi campaign with intelligence sharing, target identification and operational planning, American and regional officials told AP. The US Embassy in Riyadh has meanwhile warned Americans to remain vigilant for possible missile and drone attacks.