Two missile attacks targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, killing three Saudi nationals, including an airline pilot, and injuring several others. Saudi authorities and the General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the casualties on Friday. The Houthi group, Iran-aligned rebels from Yemen, claimed responsibility for the strikes, asserting they badly damaged a plane.
The strikes caused significant disruption, delaying dozens of flights and prompting some airlines to suspend service to the capital. Diplomats were forced to shelter in place during the attacks. This escalation has contributed to volatile air travel and oil prices, as airports have become primary targets in recent days.
These attacks are the deadliest in Saudi Arabia since the kingdom and allied forces launched a major military offensive against the Houthis last weekend. The escalating violence, tied to the broader US-Iran conflict, has brought the war to the doorstep of Riyadh. While Yemen's government claims progress in its Red Sea counter-offensive, Houthi forces maintain they are holding their ground.
Saudi Arabia and its allied forces have vowed a firm response to the Houthi attacks that target civilians. Authorities noted that the kingdom faces increasingly sophisticated and targeted strikes, leaving few easy options to curtail the violence as the conflict escalates.