Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched coordinated missile and drone strikes targeting two major civilian transit hubs in Saudi Arabia, leaving three people dead and at least 36 others injured. Saudi civil aviation authorities and international news outlets confirmed that the separate assaults struck Abha International Airport in the south-west of the kingdom and King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh.
The attacks mark a dangerous escalation in the long-running conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni militia group, directly threatening regional airspace safety and civilian infrastructure. At Abha International Airport, an assault resulted in the deaths of a Moroccan woman and an Algerian woman, alongside injuries to 28 other individuals. According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), those wounded include Saudi citizens as well as foreign residents from Bangladesh and the Philippines. While several victims suffered serious injuries, officials noted that the majority were treated for minor wounds after being transported to regional hospitals.
Meanwhile, a strike in proximity to Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport claimed the life of a Sudanese national and left eight people injured. Saudi authorities reported that the casualty list in the capital includes five Saudi nationals, two Egyptian residents, and one Pakistani citizen, with injuries ranging from minor to severe. The blast also inflicted localized structural damage on airport facilities.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree publicly claimed responsibility for the operations, stating that the group deployed ballistic missiles against King Khalid International Airport to disrupt air traffic. Saree added that simultaneous drone and missile strikes targeted Abha Airport alongside several other Saudi military installations. Independent verification of these claims remains limited.
In response, Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, confirmed that air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile north of Riyadh. He further asserted that coalition forces located and destroyed the launch platform in Sana’a used to fire the weapon.
Following the strikes, GACA initiated comprehensive security reviews to evaluate damage, reinforce defense perimeters, and guarantee the safety of civilian air corridors. The attacks coincide with intensified fighting along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast and near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, where Saudi-backed forces are attempting to reclaim territory. Beyond aviation threats, maritime disruption in the strait—a vital choke point carrying roughly 12 per cent of global trade—poses broader risks to international commerce and regional energy supply chains.
