Riyadh Airport Chaos Deepens as Houthis Claim a Missile Strike Saudi Arabia Has Not Confirmed

Riyadh Airport Chaos Deepens as Houthis Claim a Missile Strike Saudi Arabia Has Not Confirmed
Riyadh’s airport became the focal point of a rapidly widening Saudi-Yemeni confrontation on Thursday, as Houthi claims of a missile strike collided with incomplete official information and mounting evidence of disruption.

The Houthis said they had struck King Khalid International Airport with ballistic missiles, claiming the attack caused damage and disrupted air traffic. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm that account, although they said earlier strikes had killed three people at airports in Riyadh and Abha and injured dozens more. The Saudi-led coalition, meanwhile, said it intercepted three missiles aimed at the kingdom—two toward Riyadh and one toward Khamis Mushait.

Independent reporting broadly confirmed the chaos but not the Houthis’ version of events. Witnesses reported explosions, smoke and emergency crews at the airport, while passengers were reportedly ordered to evacuate and leave baggage behind. Flight trackers showed flights being held, cancelled or delayed; Flightradar24 said the airport was “closed again,” even though other data showed at least one later departure. The competing flight records underscored disruption without establishing its cause.

The most consequential unresolved detail was damage to a Saudia Airlines aircraft. Reuters, citing people briefed on the incident, reported that shrapnel from an interception or another projectile heavily damaged a parked plane. No passengers were believed to be aboard, but injuries could not be ruled out. The Houthis offered no evidence for their claim, while Saudi officials separately said debris from an intercepted missile struck a kindergarten and medical complex.

Both sides framed the episode as part of a broader escalation. The Houthis threatened Saudi energy facilities and justified their attacks by pointing to Riyadh’s support for forces fighting in Yemen. Saudi authorities emphasized interception and the consequences of falling debris. With airlines suspending service and nearly half of departures cancelled by midafternoon, the operational impact was clear—even as responsibility for the airport damage remained contested.