Yemenupdated 1h ago2 min read
Houthis Strike Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, Killing Saudia Pilot Hamoud Ali Alkalthami
Three Saudis killed at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, including Saudia pilot Hamoud Ali Alkalthami. A Saudia aircraft was damaged and flights were disrupted by the Houthi strikes.
Riyadh airport attacks
Yemen's Houthis carried out two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, and Saudi authorities said the attacks killed three people and injured several others. The General Authority of Civil Aviation said the first attack targeted the airport while the second struck an aircraft belonging to state carrier Saudia, and the civil aviation authority said air traffic had returned to normal. Saudia announced that one of its pilots died, and the airline said it was “Commander Hamoud Ali Alkalthami”.
The attacks damaged a Saudia Airlines plane and sent smoke billowing over the airport as airlines cancelled flights to the Saudi capital ahead of a major meeting of global oil chiefs. The BBC described the incident as Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport that killed three Saudi nationals, after Yemen's Houthis said they targeted the facility.
Claims, shelters, and warnings
The Houthis said they attacked the airport with two missiles, and the BBC said Saudi Arabia had not confirmed these attacks. The Houthis also claimed they targeted an airport in Najran and Khamis Mushait air base, and the BBC said Saudi Arabia had not confirmed these attacks. Saudi authorities said the missile strikes forced diplomats to shelter in place and delayed dozens of flights, and Euronews reported that numerous flights were delayed or cancelled.
The United States urged Americans to “exercise heightened vigilance” after the attacks, and the Reuters report said the US embassy warned Americans that hostilities could rapidly escalate. Saudia said it expressed “profound sadness” and “heartfelt condolences” and honoured “his memory with deep respect and appreciation,” after the airline confirmed the death of Hamoud Ali Alkalthami.
Escalation and regional stakes
The conflict has been critical for global energy markets because the Houthis have fired on shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, further squeezing Gulf oil supplies. Saudi airstrikes hit Houthi targets in the Yemeni capital Sanaa overnight, and the coalition said it had destroyed three missile launch platforms used by the Houthis.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi warned Saudi Arabia to prepare for a long conflict, saying, “The Yemeni people today possess all the determination and elements of strength, regardless of how long the war lasts,”. Yemen's internationally recognized government claimed its forces carried out 1,729 precision strikes during the offensive, claiming to have killed 1,370 fighters and destroyed or disabled 300 vehicles and other military assets.