Riyadh airport hit again after deadly Houthi missile attack, Saudi authorities say

What happened

According to The Guardian, a projectile struck Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, setting a fire and causing injuries. This followed a deadly missile attack by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi rebels the previous day, which Saudi authorities say killed 13 people and injured more than 300. An additional cruise missile near the airport was intercepted by air defenses. The repeated strikes have prompted the airport's closure extension and a shift to online schooling in Saudi Arabia until Thursday.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attacks on the airport, including the strike on Saturday, which represented the deadliest assault on a Gulf country since March’s escalation of conflict involving Iran. The Guardian cites a statement from the Houthis warning airlines, staff, and passengers to avoid Saudi airports and airspace, describing them as vulnerable operational theatres for their forces and ominously warning that 'the worst is yet to come' if Saudi military action in Yemen persists.

Saudi authorities responded by promising a firm retaliatory response, though details remain limited. Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki indicated ongoing airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi positions. The Houthis also claimed a Saudi airstrike on their capital Sana’a hit a home, killing a child and injuring six others. These claims, including casualty figures, have yet to be independently verified from the supplied source.

Known from the source

• A projectile struck Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday.
• The attack triggered a fire and caused injuries as reported by Saudi authorities.
• A cruise missile near the airport was intercepted by Saudi air defenses.
• Saturday’s missile strike by Houthis reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300.
• Saudi authorities extended Riyadh airport closure and moved schools online until Thursday.

What remains unclear

The situation carries broader strategic ramifications. The US President Donald Trump is reported to be considering deeper US involvement after previously limited assistance through intelligence cooperation and military advisers. US engagement risks further opening the conflict, potentially affecting shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical global trade route. This has implications for regional stability and US domestic political pressures ahead of upcoming elections.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Exact casualty numbers and identities from the Riyadh airport strikes. Verification of Houthi claims of Saudi airstrike casualties in Sana’a. Details on the ‘unidentified projectile’ that struck Riyadh airport and who launched it.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: The Guardian Yemen. Open the source.