Houthis Issue Fresh Warning to Airlines After Riyadh Airport Attack

In the wake of a deadly strike on King Khalid International Airport that claimed 12 lives and left more than 300 injured, Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi movement has reiterated a stern caution to airlines, passengers and airport staff to avoid Saudi airspace and airports—except for those in Mecca and Medina. The warning, posted on the social media platform X, cites the attack as evidence that Saudi airfields have become “a theater of operations” for Houthi forces and blames Saudi Arabia for any failure to intercept the missile. The incident, the most lethal in the kingdom in over a decade, comes amid a broader escalation in Yemen, where Saudi‑backed forces have intensified air and ground strikes following the Houthi seizure of strategic Red Sea coast territory last month. The Houthi foreign ministry warned that further Saudi military action would provoke a reciprocal response, underscoring that continued aggression would lead to “worse” outcomes. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington is weighing participation in Saudi strikes against the Houthis, reflecting the broader regional conflict. In a separate development, the Saudi-led coalition reported a projectile falling near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and the interception of a drone in the region. Despite the temporary closure of King Khalid International Airport, the kingdom’s long‑planned WPC Energy Congress proceeded as scheduled in a convention centre roughly 10 kilometres (6 miles) away, drawing over 70 ministers, 300 corporate executives and delegates from more than 25 international energy organisations.