New Attack Hits Riyadh Airport as Tensions Rise in Yemen Conflict

A second attack in two days has hit the international airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. According to the BBC, a projectile hit a passenger hall at King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, causing a fire. Saudi officials confirmed that one person, a Pakistani resident, was killed in the attack, and 11 others were injured. This event follows a major strike on the same airport just one day earlier, which killed 13 people and injured over 300 others.

The Houthi rebel group, based in Yemen, has claimed responsibility for these attacks. The group stated that they used a mix of drones and missiles to target the airport. According to Deutsche Welle, the Houthis have also targeted other locations, including Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia and facilities belonging to the state oil company, Aramco. The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, warned that all airports in Saudi Arabia are potential targets, with the exception of those in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

This series of attacks has created a very dangerous situation. The Saudi-led coalition, which supports the internationally recognized government of Yemen, described the strikes as a "war crime" and promised a firm response. In the aftermath of the violence, Saudi authorities have extended the closure of the airport, and schools in the area have been moved to online learning until at least Thursday. The Guardian reports that videos on social media showed passengers walking through debris at the airport while sirens sounded in the background.

The conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels has been ongoing for some time, but these recent events represent a significant increase in violence. The Houthis stated that they are targeting Saudi Arabia because of its support for government forces in Yemen’s civil war. They also claimed that Saudi Arabia recently launched an air strike on the airport in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. According to the BBC, the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that a residential home in Sanaa was also hit by a Saudi air strike, resulting in the death of a child and injuries to six other people. Saudi authorities have not confirmed these specific claims.

International reaction has been swift and concerned. US President Donald Trump told reporters that he would "make a decision" on how to respond to the Houthi actions very quickly. Meanwhile, the UK government has issued new travel warnings. The UK Foreign Office is now advising against all travel to parts of Saudi Arabia, specifically mentioning areas near the border with Yemen, and has warned citizens to avoid most airports in the country. The British embassy in Saudi Arabia also advised people to avoid all but essential travel to the cities of Jeddah and Dammam.

As the situation develops, there is growing fear that the conflict could draw in more countries and widen the regional impact of the ongoing war. The US currently has about 200 military advisers in Saudi Arabia assisting with intelligence and targeting, though they have not directly participated in the fighting until now. Abdullah Al-Alimi Bawazir, a senior official in the Yemeni government, has called for "decisive actions" from international partners to address the threat.

For now, the Houthis show no signs of stopping. They have doubled down on their warnings to airlines, passengers, and staff, telling them to stay away from Saudi airports because they have become a "theater of operations" for their forces. As Saudi Arabia prepares its response, the world remains focused on whether this cycle of violence will continue to grow or if a path toward a ceasefire—an agreement to stop fighting—can be found. For the thousands of travelers and residents in the region, the coming days remain highly uncertain.