The retaliatory action follows a significant escalation in which Houthi missile and drone strikes hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other facilities, killing at least 13 people. On Saturday, a missile struck Terminal 3 at the airport, killing four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian, one Sudanese, and one Indian. The following day, a Pakistani man was killed in an attack on a terminal at the same airport. Earlier that week, on Thursday, three Saudis, including a pilot for the national airline Saudia, were killed in strikes on an airport facility and an aircraft on the ground. These incidents marked the deadliest attacks in the kingdom in more than a decade.
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, vowed a “serious” response to the ongoing aggression. Speaking at the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, he stated, “The events of recent weeks are serious. Our response must be equally serious.” The congress is being held at a convention centre approximately 10 kilometers from the repeatedly targeted airport. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group had shot down a Saudi “reconnaissance drone” early Tuesday, while the coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched toward Khamis Mushait.
The Houthi movement said it launched the attacks in retaliation for what it described as “brutal Saudi aggression” against areas they control in western Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition has provided air support for Yemeni pro-government forces battling the Houthis on the Red Sea coast and other regions. The conflict has intensified following a Houthi offensive that secured control over the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, creating a second pressure point for regional energy exports alongside disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks have caused immediate disruptions to regional air travel. Qatar Airways announced it would temporarily suspend flights to Riyadh and Dammam, while Etihad Airways cancelled flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam due to “regional disruption.” King Khalid International Airport is expected to remain closed until Saturday. Analysts suggest the Houthi offensive aims to secure control over the Red Sea, potentially raising oil prices and complicating efforts to resolve broader regional crises.
Washington has largely avoided committing to direct military intervention to protect Saudi Arabia, though experts indicate US involvement may be necessary to break the Houthi grip on Red Sea shipping routes. The conflict remains part of a wider proxy dynamic, with Iran not directly intervening in Yemen but maintaining influence over the Houthi group, which has ruled northwest Yemen since ousting the internationally recognized government in 2014.
