Houthis Launch Fresh Attacks on Saudi Arabia as Riyadh Extends Airport Closure
Al Jazeera Staff
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh while the Houthis claim they struck the capital's airport. Successive attacks have killed 14 people and wounded hundreds, forcing Riyadh's international airport to stay closed until Saturday.
Yemen's Houthi forces said they targeted the airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, on Monday evening, after earlier strikes by the group on King Khalid International Airport killed 14 people and wounded hundreds over the preceding two days.
Saudi military spokesman Turki al-Maliki said air defense systems successfully shot down a missile launched from Yemen, but did not specify the target.
Residents in Riyadh reported several large explosions shaking the city late Monday, just minutes after a message sent to residents' phones warned of an airborne threat.
The development poses a new security challenge for the world's leading oil exporter, at a time when Saudi Arabia is seeking to attract investment and pivot toward a diversified economy despite escalating regional conflict.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group also used drones to attack Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait air base near the Yemeni border. The Saudi military spokesman said air defense systems repelled that attack.
Saudi authorities extended the closure of Riyadh's international airport through Saturday, and multiple airlines have canceled flights as Houthi strikes continue.
The airport has been closed since Saturday's attack, which killed 13 people and wounded more than 300 — the heaviest casualties in the kingdom in more than a decade. On Sunday, another attack killed one person and wounded nearly a dozen others.
Probe into Interception Failures
Saudi Arabia has opened an investigation into why its air defense systems failed to intercept the wave of Houthi missiles and drones, according to two regional officials cited by the AP.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial findings suggest the Houthis first launched multiple drones to clear a path for a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles approaching Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
The Houthis in Yemen possess ballistic missiles and advanced systems fitted with warheads capable of changing course mid-flight, complicating interception for Saudi Arabia's Patriot and other defense systems.
One official said the investigation is also examining why the defense systems did not provide earlier warning of the attack, given that Houthi missiles and drones had flown more than 1,000 kilometers before reaching Riyadh.
'No Good'
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Houthis over the escalating attacks on the kingdom, but did not hint at any U.S. intervention in the deepening conflict.
"The Houthis are behaving very badly. No good," Trump told reporters when asked about his plans for the group.
Escalating tensions with the Houthis have raised concerns about broader economic fallout.
Saudi Arabia's real gross domestic product is projected to contract 3.6% this year due to multiple factors, including weaker oil activity.
The attacks are putting pressure on numerous events scheduled in Riyadh this month, including the kingdom's flagship investment conference and the WPC Energy Congress, where several top oil executives were removed from the program.
Delta Airlines said Monday it will postpone the launch of direct Atlanta–Riyadh service until March 2027 amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
