One dead in new attack on Saudi airport, a day after Houthi strike kills 13
Fresh Airport Attack Raises Pressure on Saudi Defences
Bdbusinessdaily.com – A new attack struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, killing one person and injuring 11 others only a day after a deadlier assault on the same airport left 13 people dead and more than 300 wounded.
Saudi-led coalition forces fighting in Yemen said an unidentified projectile hit Terminal 4, sparking a fire at the airport. The Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed the casualties, while security forces said air defences also intercepted a cruise missile near the airport.
The latest violence intensified concerns about the security of Saudi aviation infrastructure as the kingdom expands its military operations against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Riyadh is backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government in its long-running conflict with the Houthis, who control major areas of the country.
Multiple Threats Intercepted
Saudi authorities said a drone was destroyed in the Eastern Province and a ballistic missile aimed at Khamis Mushait was intercepted. Civil Defence also issued emergency alerts in Abha, a southern city near the Yemeni border, early on Monday before later declaring that the immediate threat had ended.
The incidents underline the scale of the challenge facing Saudi air defences. Airports, oil facilities and other highly visible infrastructure have become potential targets as the regional confrontation surrounding the Yemen war deepens.
Saturday’s attack on Riyadh airport was the kingdom’s most lethal such incident in more than a decade. Images broadcast by Saudi state television showed religious pilgrims waiting at a departure gate before an intense orange flash prompted people to flee. Parts of the ceiling appeared damaged during the blast.
The airport was shut after Saturday’s strike, disrupting travel for passengers heading towards Islam’s holiest sites. Riyadh serves as a major transit point for domestic and international travellers, making any suspension of operations especially significant during periods of religious travel.
Houthis Claim Wider Campaign
In a televised address on Sunday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group was responsible for Saturday’s Riyadh attack. He also said the Houthis had targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and two facilities operated by Saudi Aramco.
Saudi authorities later confirmed that Dammam airport had been hit late Sunday. Safety checks and damage assessments were launched at the facility.
An eyewitness on an aircraft preparing to depart from Dammam said a projectile struck the tarmac near parked planes at about 8:30 pm local time, causing a fire. The aircraft returned to its gate, passengers were taken off the plane and instructed to leave the area.
Flight disruptions followed at Dammam, Saudi Arabia’s third-largest airport, with several arrivals and departures delayed or cancelled. The episode demonstrated how even a brief security incident can ripple through airport operations, affecting passengers, airlines and cargo schedules.
“We urge everyone to take our warnings seriously, and Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions,” the Houthis said.
The group renewed its warning against using Saudi airports, increasing anxiety among travellers and foreign governments. Britain’s embassy advised its citizens against all but essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and Saudi airports other than Medina. United States aviation authorities also told US airlines to use caution when flying to or over Saudi territory.
Conflict in Yemen Expands Regional Risks
Saudi Arabia has recently intensified its involvement in Yemen, carrying out strikes against the Houthis while supporting a government counter-offensive. The escalation followed Houthi advances in strategically important territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast last month.
The Houthis said Saudi forces had conducted 124 air strikes across Yemen during the previous 24 hours. Their foreign ministry, operating under Houthi control, warned that additional attacks could follow if Saudi military action and involvement in Yemen continued.
“Unless the Saudi enemy stops its aggression and interference in Yemen, worse is yet to come, God willing,” the Houthi-run foreign ministry said.
The conflict has increasingly overlapped with wider tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington was considering participation in Saudi strikes on the Houthis, describing the Yemen conflict as part of the broader war with Iran launched by the United States and Israel in February.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a Telegram post that he had told his Saudi counterpart Tehran was prepared to assist dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The offer highlighted the diplomatic dimension of a confrontation that has repeatedly threatened to spread beyond Yemen’s borders.
Energy Meetings Continue Near Riyadh
Despite the airport attacks, a five-day WPC Energy conference opened as scheduled on Sunday at a convention centre roughly 10 kilometres from Riyadh airport. A ministerial gathering of the International Energy Forum also proceeded.
The decision to continue the events reflects the importance Saudi Arabia places on maintaining normal economic and diplomatic activity amid heightened security risks. As a leading energy producer and a major regional transport hub, disruption inside the kingdom can have consequences well beyond its borders.
For now, authorities are assessing the damage at affected airports while air-defence systems remain on alert. The rapid succession of attacks has placed Saudi aviation security under intense scrutiny and raised fresh questions about whether the conflict in Yemen is entering a more dangerous phase.
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