(RIYADH) – Flames and a large plume of black smoke have been seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, following a ballistic missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The strike, which occurred over the weekend, marks the first time in a long while that the Houthis have targeted the Saudi capital. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted the missile and that a Saudi-led coalition also stopped attacks on Saudi cities, including the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, where the Houthis claimed an attack on an Aramco facility.
An AFP journalist at the scene reported firefighters trying to extinguish flames at a fuel tank emblazoned with the logo of the Saudi oil giant, Aramco. Aircraft tracking website Flight Radar 24 has reported major issues at King Khalid airport, including cancellations and delays. The disruption follows an overnight air raid alert issued by Saudi authorities.
The attack comes just days after the United States, a key Saudi partner, signalled it would not intervene on the kingdom’s behalf in any direct conflict with the Houthis. Middle East analyst Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics, says the Houthis are intent on escalating and demonstrating they are in control. “They are making it very clear to Saudi Arabia that they do not intend to back down,” Cafiero said, framing it as “an attack for an attack.”
He suggests the US position, and the reluctance of other Western and regional countries to defend Saudi Arabia, has emboldened the Houthis. “The Houthis definitely do not want to see the United States get involved,” Cafiero noted, referencing a truce reached last year and a meeting in Muscat, Oman, where the Houthis allegedly signalled they would not attack American vessels off Yemen’s west coast.
The Houthis have also been gaining ground in Yemen, seizing key territory around the Red Sea. They now have control over the Bab al Mandab Strait, a vital route for Saudi oil. The United Nations says at least 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen within the last two weeks since fighting resumed, with nearly 3,000 others fleeing across the sea to Djibouti. Djibouti’s government is preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees, which the UN says will only add acute pressure on local health care and education services. Government forces speaking to AFP say fighting between the Houthis and government forces has killed 48 people in the latest report.
Kad Sha, an aid worker for Islamic Relief Yemen in Aden, described a desperate situation. “People are coming from the mountainous area to the downstream area of Hajjah and Aden… there are no regular camps,” he said. “Most of the people are staying in schools. In one school we visited, 15 to 20 people are living with one washroom and there is no proper sanitation. There is no water and people are facing problems getting food items from humanitarian organisations.” He warned of a potential cholera outbreak due to a lack of clean water and hygiene, adding that the humanitarian response plan for 2026 has seen a 14.4% increase in people in need. “The appeal is for the international organisations to come up and to support these people otherwise more mortality and more death will occur.”
Analyst Cafiero notes that the Saudis have few good options. He points to the disastrous 2015 to 2022 military campaign and does not believe an intensified campaign would deter the Houthis, who have become more sophisticated in their tactics, now using AI. “I don’t think an intensified Saudi military campaign is going to ultimately deter the Houthis,” he said.
He also does not see other countries, whether Western partners or allies in the Mecca Defense Pact, coming to Saudi Arabia’s defence. “The least awful option for Saudi Arabia would be to take advantage of opportunities to engage Iran and the Houthis through Omani and other channels and try to work on creating a new order in the region,” Cafiero said. “Not one where the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran is completely eliminated, but one where Riyadh and Tehran and other players are able to control tensions, establish mechanisms for de-escalation and try to get the Saudi Iranian dialogue back on track.”
He argues that Saudi Arabia needs its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan to succeed, which requires foreign investment and an attractive business environment. “That’s not going to be possible if missiles and drones from Yemen and elsewhere in the region keep on pounding sensitive sites in Saudi Arabia.” Ultimately, Cafiero believes a diplomatic solution is necessary, requiring painful concessions to the Houthis. “For seven years, they tried to do that and they failed. The Houthis are all the more powerful now. I just don’t think that that’s a realistic path for Saudi Arabia at this point.”
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