The Yemen-based Houthis, aligned with Iran, claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack (the 11th) on Riyadh’s international airport — which left 13 dead and more than 300 injured — while Saudi authorities reported injuries in a new attack on the airport on Sunday.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said that an “unidentified projectile” struck Riyadh’s international airport on Sunday, causing a fire. An unspecified number of people were injured, according to the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority, which added that it was still assessing the damage.
The coalition also said that Saudi air defenses intercepted a cruise missile near King Khalid International Airport.
The attacks exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s defense capabilities, as the kingdom conducts an air campaign against the Houthis to support the ground war waged in Yemen by the Yemeni government against the Iran-aligned group.
The airport has remained closed since Saturday’s attack. However, a long-planned international energy conference was held in Riyadh on Sunday, as scheduled.
Houthis claim responsibility for other attacks
In a televised address on Sunday, the Houthis’ military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, took responsibility for Saturday’s attack and also stated that the group had attacked Dammam Airport in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and two facilities of the Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco.
There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia. Reuters contacted the Saudi press office and Aramco for comment.
Earlier, the Houthis had said in a statement on X: “We reiterate our warning to all airlines, specialists, employees, workers and travelers against the use of Saudi airports and airspace, as they are vulnerable to attacks and have become a theatre of operations for our forces, with the exception of airports in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.”
“We urge everyone to take our warnings seriously, and Saudi Arabia is responsible for any unsuccessful interceptions.”
Saudi Arabia has intensified its military involvement in Yemen in recent weeks, launching strikes against the Houthis and backing a Yemeni government counteroffensive after the group seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast last month.
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry, run by the Houthis, said on Sunday, later, that new Saudi military actions in Yemen would provoke a stronger response, adding that their actions would be guided by the principle of reciprocity.
“Unless the Saudi enemy stops its aggression and interference in Yemen, the worst is yet to come, God willing,” the ministry said in statements carried by Al Masirah TV, controlled by the Houthis.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States was considering joining the Saudi strikes against the Houthis in the conflict, a branch of the broader war against Iran that the US and Israel launched in February.
