In brief
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman announced a ‘serious’ response to the deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh airports, following a recent missile strike that killed thirteen people in the capital’s King Khalid International Airport and a subsequent hit that claimed one lifetime. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have mounted a series of missile and drone assaults on Saudi infrastructure, citing Saudi aggression in Yemen as the trigger. The attacks come as the Saudi‑led coalition continues its support for Yemeni pro‑government forces, while the Houthis recently seized strategic coastal areas along the Red Sea, threatening international shipping lanes. Tensions now loom higher as Saudi Arabia considers further retaliation, while global oil markets brace for potential disruptions.
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman vowed a “serious” response to the Houthi missile strikes on Riyadh airports after a deadly attack on King Khalid International Airport that killed thirteen people and forced a terminal closure.
The strike came at a time when the Iran-backed Houthis intensified their campaign against Saudi infrastructure, citing the kingdom’s actions in Yemen as the catalyst for retaliation.
On Sunday a Pakistani national was killed by a missile that struck another terminal at King Khalid International Airport, following a previous hit that had claimed lives and caused widespread damage. The Houthis claim these attacks are retribution for what they describe as brutal Saudi aggression in western Yemen.
Meanwhile, the Houthi-run health ministry reported a child killed and six others injured in a Saudi air strike on a residence in Sanaa, illustrating the escalating tit‑for‑tat violence between the parties.
The Saudi‑led coalition, comprised of Gulf states and the United States, has been providing air support for Yemeni pro‑government forces that continue to battle Houthi fighters along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
The conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the Yemeni government from the capital, Sanaa. In 2015 Saudi Arabia joined the intervention, aiming to restore the internationally recognised authorities, but the war has since escalated into a protracted humanitarian crisis.
A four‑year cease‑fire crumbled in July when the Houthis declared a maritime embargo and began missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets, further straining the fragile security environment in the region.
The seizure of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait has already jolted shipping routes, contributing to a spike in global oil prices as Saudi Arabia had been routing exports through the Red Sea in response to the Iran and Israel conflict shutting the Strait of Hormuz.
Recent moves by the Yemeni government signal an intensified offensive, attempting to regain control of all Houthi‑held territory, while pro‑government forces report rapid gains near the strategic strait supported by Saudi air power. The Houthis, however, deny any loss of territory.
