Houthi rebels strike Riyadh airport hours after reopening announcement

The Iran-aligned Houthi movement carried out the strikes on the capital's main airport and military facilities in what marked a fresh escalation of cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia. The assault came just hours after Saudi authorities announced plans to resume operations at the airport, which has faced repeated militant strikes over recent years.

According to Houthi claims, the group deployed dozens of ballistic missiles across three separate military operations targeting the airport and nearby defence installations. The timing of the attack appeared designed to demonstrate the group's continued capability to strike strategic targets despite Saudi air defences and counteroffensive measures.

The strikes represent the latest in an ongoing pattern of Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including airports, oil facilities and military sites. The Yemen-based rebels have repeatedly targeted the kingdom's aviation sector, prompting periodic closures and operational disruptions at major airports.

Saudi Arabia has not immediately released official casualty or damage assessments from the latest strikes. The kingdom's air defence systems have previously intercepted some incoming missiles and drones, though some projectiles have penetrated defensive perimeters in previous attacks.

The incident underscores persistent security challenges facing Saudi Arabia as it seeks to maintain normal commercial and military operations amid regional tensions linked to the broader Middle East conflict.