Iran-backed Houthis expand attacks on Riyadh as Yemen war escalates

The leader of the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen has warned Saudi Arabia to prepare for a long conflict, as his group intensified its attacks on the kingdom — targeting its airports and military facilities for a third consecutive day. The group said Thursday it had carried out a new wave of attacks targeting two civilian airports — King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Najran Airport near the southern Saudi-Yemen border — and the Royal Saudi Air Force’s King Khalid Air Base. It claimed the attacks involved both cruise and ballistic missiles and had caused damage and disrupted air traffic. Images posted on X and verified by CNN showed smoke rising over Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport as well as what appeared to be a damaged Saudi aircraft, while the Associated Press cited a witness as saying several explosions had been heard in Riyadh, including at the airport. While Saudi authorities have not directly commented on whether the airports were attacked, they said Thursday they had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired toward Riyadh and that falling debris had damaged a kindergarten and a medical clinic. The US Mission in Saudi Arabia said it was “aware” of attacks targeting the airport in Riyadh and warned American citizens to exercise heightened vigilance, noting previous attacks on civilian airports in the country and cautioning the conflict “has the potential to escalate.” It warned of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions, and said US government employees now required “special authorization” to use the airport and remained barred from traveling within 20 miles of the Yemen border. The news comes after three people were killed and 36 wounded over the past two days in Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport, near the Yemen border. Leader’s warning In a televised speech Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi vowed to continue attacking Saudi targets and confronting Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. He warned Saudi Arabia against continuing its military campaign in Yemen, saying his group had the military capabilities and resolve to withstand a lengthy conflict. “The Yemeni people today possess all the determination and elements of strength, regardless of how long the war lasts,” al-Houthi said. The Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group that controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, have been at war with Yemen’s internationally recognized government and a Saudi-led coalition since 2015. The conflict intensified in July after the collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire, with the Houthis expanding missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, airports and shipping routes. Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes and support for Yemeni government forces. In recent weeks, the Houthis have threatened to broaden the scope of their attacks within Saudi Arabia. In a statement Thursday, they warned employees, engineers and workers at Saudi oil facilities to avoid locations that could become targets of future attacks. The group also renewed previous warnings to airlines, airport operators, travelers and workers at Saudi airports and facilities. “The more the Saudi enemy persists in its aggression and blockade, the greater its losses become,” al-Houthi said. ‘Dawn of Yemen’ The latest escalation comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces continue Operation “Dawn of Yemen,” a major offensive aimed at reversing recent Houthi gains in Yemen. In recent weeks, fighting has intensified along Yemen’s western coast and around the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemeni government forces have claimed to have recaptured several positions near Bab al-Mandeb, Mocha and Dhubab, although the Houthis dispute those claims. On Thursday, Yemen’s internationally recognized government said its forces had carried out 1,729 precision strikes against Houthi targets during the offensive, claiming to have killed 1,370 fighters and destroyed or disabled 300 vehicles and other military assets. The same day, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of escalating its air campaign, claiming Saudi warplanes had carried out 59 airstrikes and missile attacks across Sanaa and several Yemeni provinces over the previous 24 hours, causing civilian casualties. CNN cannot independently verify either claim. However, the Houthis have dismissed reports of major battlefield losses, accusing regional media outlets of exaggerating advances made by Saudi-backed forces. Earlier this week, Houthi missiles landed near Aden International Airport, the main airport serving Yemen’s internationally recognized government, forcing the diversion of a commercial flight from Cairo, according to Yemeni government officials. The Saudi-led coalition said late Wednesday that it responded to that attack by launching a large-scale operation striking 82 Houthi military targets in Saada, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf and Marib provinces. According to the coalition, the targets included missile depots, command centers, communications facilities and weapons stockpiles.