Saudi Arabia has extended the closure of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh following a series of deadly drone and missile attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. A strike on Saturday killed 13 people and injured more than 300, while a subsequent attack on Sunday killed a Pakistani resident and wounded 11 others. CCTV footage showed passengers engulfed in smoke and falling masonry during the strikes, marking one of the worst disruptions to Saudi aviation in years.
The aviation suspension has left Riyadh's skies largely empty, with approximately 60 percent of scheduled flights cancelled and overall cancellations across all Saudi airports reaching 46.4 percent. While the Saudi-led coalition has intercepted ballistic missiles and drones aimed at key oil and gas facilities, the Energy minister asserted that fear has no place in the Saudi lexicon.
In response, the Saudi-led coalition launched strikes against Houthi energy infrastructure, targeting the Yemen Oil Company’s Sabah central station fuel depot on the outskirts of Sana’a. Saudi spokespeople ordered civilians to evacuate the area before the operation. Houthi media reported the attack and warned of a harsh and painful response to the strikes on the Yemeni capital.
This escalation represents a significant challenge for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the conflict between Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-backed rebels intensifies. As fears of a widening regional war grow, the United States is considering military action, while Iran has offered to mediate the confrontation.