Houthis claim ballistic missile hit Riyadh airport and warn airlines away from Saudi airspace
Yemen’s Houthi movement says it struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile, a claim Saudi authorities have not confirmed, while flight tracking showed the airport still operating.
Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed that it struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile on Wednesday, alleging that the weapon hit its intended target and caused significant damage to the facility.
The claim was made by the group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, in a statement posted on X. In it, he said the airport was unsafe and renewed the Houthis’ warning to international, regional and local airlines, airport employees and travellers to avoid Saudi airspace, describing it as unsafe except over Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi authorities have not confirmed any damage, and the claim has not been independently verified. Flight tracking cited by aviation trackers showed the airport still operating on Wednesday, with about 15 departures cancelled during the day, a figure in line with recent days, and no widespread delays flagged.
The claim is the latest in a series of Houthi statements targeting Saudi airports. The United States State Department issued a fresh warning for Saudi Arabia on 28 October, saying Houthi attacks on civilian airports were a continuing risk and urging Americans to take extreme caution if using Saudi airports and to check flight status directly with airlines and airports.
A European Union Aviation Safety Agency advisory on Saudi airspace also remains in effect, citing repeated missile and drone attacks in the Riyadh area, including at the airport. That advisory, together with the Houthi warnings, has already reshaped airline schedules: Etihad has extended its Riyadh cancellations through 19 November, Air France has pushed its suspension of Riyadh flights to 12 December, Cathay Pacific to 31 January, and British Airways’ return is now reportedly set for 11 January, while Saudia has moved most of its own Riyadh flights to other Saudi airports through about 1 December.
The stakes of an airport attack were underlined by an earlier incident: another Indian national who was critically injured in the 10 October attack on Riyadh airport later died in an intensive care unit, according to a statement reported by Dawn. That death showed how a claim about an airport can carry a human cost even when the wider damage is disputed.
The Houthi campaign against Saudi targets has intensified alongside the wider war involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The Saudi-led coalition has repeatedly said it intercepted drones and missiles aimed at the kingdom, including over Riyadh and the southern region, while the Houthis have claimed strikes on airports, refineries and military sites in turn.
Riyadh’s airport matters well beyond the capital. It is one of the kingdom’s main international gateways, handling business travel, cargo and large numbers of pilgrims and workers, so any threat to its operations ripples through airline schedules, travel insurance and the plans of passengers across Asia, Africa and Europe.
For travellers, the practical position on Wednesday evening was mixed: the Houthis were telling airlines to stay away, Saudi authorities had not confirmed a hit, and flights were still operating, albeit with many foreign carriers already suspended. Passengers heading to or through Riyadh were advised by official warnings to confirm their flight status directly rather than rely on social media claims.
What happens next depends on whether Saudi Arabia issues an official account of Wednesday’s events, whether airlines extend their suspensions further, and whether the claim marks a further escalation in the cross-border campaign. If the Houthis continue to name Riyadh airport as a target, the pressure on carriers to stay away is likely to grow even without confirmed damage on the ground.
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