Saudi Arabia Faces New Houthi Missile and Drone Barrage as Riyadh Airport Stays Closed

Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it was facing a new barrage of incoming Houthi missiles and drones, as Riyadh’s King Khalid airport remained shut and airlines canceled flights across the region amid a rapidly escalating conflict.

The Saudi-led coalition reported incoming drones and missiles on Monday, with no immediate word on whether they were intercepted, according to Reuters. The fresh fire came days after a deadly missile strike on a Riyadh airport departure terminal on Saturday that was claimed by Yemen’s Houthis.

FAKTA

• Saudi Arabia reported a new barrage of incoming Houthi missiles and drones on Monday, October 12; the Saudi-led coalition said there was no immediate word on interceptions (Reuters).
• Riyadh’s King Khalid airport stays shut “for now”; parts of Saudi airspace are closed, emptying skies over the capital as it hosts a major energy conference (Reuters).
• Airlines are canceling flights to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, and the US FAA told American airlines to exercise caution on Saudi flights, citing safety risks (Reuters; Al Jazeera).
• Saturday’s strike on the airport’s departure terminal killed 12 people and wounded 309 — described as the deadliest attack on the kingdom in more than a decade; the Houthis claimed it on Sunday (Al Jazeera).
• Iran offered to mediate between the Houthis and Riyadh, while the UAE called for a revival of joint Gulf action on security; Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen’s al-Jawf province on Monday (Reuters).

New barrage reported on Monday

The Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, reported the incoming fire on Monday but gave no details on targets or interceptions. The Houthis have been attacking Saudi airports and oil facilities since last week as part of a rapidly escalating conflict that has spilled over from the wider confrontation between the United States and Iran, Reuters reported.

The group has repeatedly threatened to target airports and airspace as well as Saudi oil installations, which drive the kingdom’s economy and its development plans. Despite intensified Saudi airstrikes against the group — including strikes reported on Yemen’s al-Jawf province on Monday — the Houthis have shown no sign of letting up their own attacks on Saudi infrastructure.

Saudi Houthi missile barrage shuts airport and empties skies

The attacks have shut down parts of Saudi airspace and suspended operations at Riyadh airport, largely emptying the skies over the capital even as the city hosts a major energy conference, Reuters reported.

Airlines are canceling flights to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries following the weekend attacks, adding to wider regional travel disruption. Al Jazeera reported that Gulf Air and Etihad were among the airlines suspending services, while the US Federal Aviation Administration told American carriers to exercise caution when flying in Saudi Arabia, citing safety risks.

Diplomacy: Iran offers mediation, UAE urges joint Gulf action

Saudi Arabia’s longtime regional rival Iran offered to mediate between its Houthi allies and the kingdom. “We have repeatedly expressed our readiness to help facilitate dialogue between the parties,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, according to Reuters.

The United Arab Emirates also weighed in on Monday, calling for a revival of joint Gulf action on security and defense. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said the targeting of Saudi Arabia undermined the security of all Gulf states and that the neglect of collective Gulf security had “emboldened others” to overreach against regional states.

Speaking at Monday’s energy conference, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom would stay focused on bringing in investment as part of its wider economic development goals. “The development of our energy system and industrial capability continues,” he said.

What led here

Saturday’s missile strike on a departure terminal at King Khalid airport killed 12 people and wounded 309, according to Al Jazeera. The dead included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis, and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan — the deadliest attack on the kingdom in more than a decade. The Houthis claimed responsibility on Sunday, with spokesman Yahya Saree saying the group had carried out multiple operations targeting the airport.

Saudi Arabia has re-entered Yemen’s civil war to push the Houthis back from the vital Bab el-Mandeb strait oil route after the group’s sudden advances in September. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington was considering joining Saudi Arabia in strikes on the Houthis, though there has been no sign of US action so far, Reuters reported.

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