The Houthis claimed on Thursday that they fired a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, saying the strike hit its target and disrupted operations at one of the busiest airports in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry countered that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed two Houthi ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh. Witnesses and regional sources reported smoke rising from a parked aircraft at the airport, which was believed to be empty at the time.
The exchange follows Wednesday's Houthi attacks on airports in Riyadh and Abha that killed three people and injured 36, and the Saudi-led coalition's retaliation against 82 Houthi military targets. The Associated Press reported Thursday morning that witnesses saw an evacuation at the Riyadh airport as the latest claims surfaced.
The escalation marks a dangerous new phase in the confrontation, with civilian aviation infrastructure now squarely in the crosshairs. Airlines and regional authorities are monitoring the situation as tensions between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition continue to climb.
