Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi forces claimed a fresh missile attack against King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, triggering significant disruption to air traffic across the major transport hub. The military strike comes amid escalating friction across the region, sharpening threats around vital maritime corridors essential to international commerce.
Air Traffic Halted Before Services Resume
Data from global flight tracker Flight Radar 24 detailed the immediate fallout at the aviation hub. The tracking platform stated in a post on the social media platform X at 4:29 PM Indian Standard Time that no aircraft had landed at Riyadh airport for the preceding 80 minutes. The update further noted that no departures had taken place from the facility over the previous 90 minutes. Following the extended suspension of commercial movements, regular flight operations were subsequently restored at the capital's gateway.
Broad Assault Targets Airbases and Military Installations
The strike on the capital follows a wave of claims by Houthi fighters targeting multiple strategic installations across the Arabian Peninsula. On Wednesday, the armed faction claimed responsibility for hits against Saudi airports and military assets, alongside strikes aimed at the airport in Yemen's port city of Aden. Additional actions targeted Saudi Arabia's southwestern border area near Yemen, where fighters claimed strikes on an air force base in Khamis Mushait as well as two distinct military bases situated in Najran and Asir.
Coalition Intercepts Ballistic Missile North of Capital
The military coalition led by Saudi Arabia combating Houthi fighters confirmed defensive measures against the inbound aerial threat. Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the allied coalition, stated that defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile north of Riyadh before it could reach its intended target, preventing damage on the ground.
Fierce Clashes Over Bab al-Mandab and Red Sea Coast
The escalated barrage aligns with an expansive ground and aerial offensive launched by Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni units to reverse insurgent territorial gains. Allied forces are actively seeking to retake strategic territory along Yemen's western Red Sea coastline and the waters flanking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, where Houthi forces seized control approximately one month ago. The flare-up intensifies broader regional confrontation involving Iranian-supported factions, amplifying security risks along the Bab al-Mandab passage, which operates as a critical secondary maritime artery connected to the Strait of Hormuz.
