Houthis issue new threat on Saudi airspace after attack on Riyadh airport

The CBS News report documents a deadly attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, marking the deadliest strike on Saudi soil in more than a decade and signaling a major escalation in the Yemen-Houthis conflict.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis issued a new threat to Saudi Arabia’s airspace after the Riyadh airport attack. Their military spokesman urged people to take the warnings seriously and said airports and airspace are exposed to targeting as a theatre of operations for their forces.

The attack led to the airport remaining closed on Sunday, with Riyadh schools moving online and flights diverting to other locations, according to the report. Several countries issued travel advisories for the airport, including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia, and Canada.

Casualties reported included at least 12 people killed, including a U.S. citizen, and hundreds wounded. The Saudi government listed a mix of nationalities among the dead and noted that many injured were receiving treatment, with some in serious condition. An Egyptian flight attendant associated with Flynas was among those killed.

Officials described the attack as targeting an airport complex housing terminals for domestic flights, and stated the airport infrastructure itself was not military facilities. The strike heightened international concern and drew condemnations from the United Nations and various world leaders.

The report notes prior Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport earlier in the week, as part of a broader surge against Saudi airports, military facilities, and energy infrastructure during a wider conflict initiated by a Saudi-led coalition offensive against the Houthis.