More than 100 flights at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport were cancelled on Thursday following claims by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that they had launched ballistic missile attacks targeting the Saudi capital’s main airport. Explosions were reported in Riyadh early in the day, with residents hearing loud booms as the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis escalated. The attacks have heightened tensions in the region and disrupted air travel across several Saudi airports.
The Saudi-led coalition stated that its air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh, while fragments from the interceptions caused damage to a medical clinic and a kindergarten. There were no immediate reports of casualties from these specific strikes, though earlier Houthi attacks on Saudi airports this week had resulted in three deaths and dozens of injuries. A Sudanese man was killed and seven others wounded in a strike on King Khalid Airport on Wednesday, while two women died and 30 people were injured in an attack on Abha airport in the southwest on Tuesday.
Yemeni Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that their forces targeted King Khalid International Airport with missiles, along with airports in Najran and a Saudi airbase near Khamis Mushait in the south. Saree asserted that the attacks disrupted air traffic and struck military targets, though Saudi authorities have not confirmed these claims and dispute some of the rebel assertions.
The disruption forced major airlines including Lufthansa and Air India to suspend flights to Riyadh for several days. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported about 188 flight cancellations by mid-afternoon Thursday, accounting for over 40 percent of scheduled departures from Saudi airports. Other airports in Jeddah and Dammam also experienced significant flight cancellations. Passengers were advised to verify flight statuses with their airlines before traveling to the airports.
The attacks come amid heightened security concerns as Saudi Arabia prepares to host significant international events, including the World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative conference later this month, which attract global executives, investors, and policymakers.
The renewed violence also reflects the broader escalation of the Yemen conflict, which reignited in July after a fragile truce collapsed amid tensions between the United States and Iran. The war has intensified in southern Yemen, with ongoing fighting around Taiz province and contestation for key supply routes. The Yemeni government, supported by the Saudi-led coalition, has conducted numerous operations targeting Houthi forces.
The United States has urged its citizens in Saudi Arabia to exercise increased caution. The US Embassy in Riyadh announced that American government personnel must obtain special authorization to use the airport and avoid areas near the Yemen border due to security risks. Despite the escalation, former US President Donald Trump indicated on social media that Washington and Tehran were engaged in productive discussions and that military action against Iran was unlikely prior to upcoming US midterm elections.
Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns continue to mount. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported receiving thousands of requests from families searching for missing persons in Yemen since the latest fighting resumed, underscoring the ongoing human toll of the conflict.