Houthi strikes on Riyadh airport killed three Saudis as war escalates
USO•Thursday's Houthi strikes on Riyadh airport killed three people and injured several, Saudi authorities said. The attacks damaged a Saudia Airlines plane and prompted flight cancellations as the conflict intensified.
1. Airport strikes and response
Saudi authorities said Thursday's attacks on Riyadh airport killed three people and injured several. The strikes damaged a Saudia Airlines plane, and one person killed was an airline employee. Saudi air traffic returned to normal, though many flights remained suspended or delayed. Saudi airstrikes hit Houthi targets in Sanaa overnight, while a Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed three Houthi missile launch platforms.
2. Fighting across Yemen
The Houthis have encircled government forces in Taiz and are fighting to defend positions on Yemen’s Red Sea coast against a Saudi-backed offensive. Government forces took back territory around the Bab el-Mandeb coastline on Monday; Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen said the strait had been cleared of Houthis, a claim that could not be verified. Houthi forces remain in Mocha, and the group has threatened further missile strikes on Saudi Arabia and oil facilities.
3. Airspace and oil meeting
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency extended the area in which it advises airlines not to fly, citing the Riyadh airport attacks and risks to civil aviation. The conflict has also involved Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, while Iran has partly blocked the Strait of Hormuz, further squeezing Gulf oil supplies. Riyadh is due to host the WPC Energy Congress from Sunday; Italy’s energy minister said he would participate by video rather than attend in person.
