Houthi attacks nearly empty Riyadh skies, Saudi coalition strikes back

· Shipping · Saudi Arabia · Yemen

Attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have nearly emptied the skies over Riyadh this month, with cancellations grounding almost nine out of every 10 scheduled flights at the Saudi capital's airport, aviation data showed. The Saudi-led coalition struck Houthi missile facilities in response, and authorities sent text messages to residents warning of a "hostile aerial threat" targeting the city. Saudi Arabia's main international airport has been a repeated target. The disruption raises questions about air travel across the Middle East.

Why it matters：Attacks on a major Gulf hub threaten regional aviation and travel, a spillover of the Yemen conflict.

Key points

  • Nearly nine in 10 scheduled Riyadh flights were cancelled this month.
  • The Saudi-led coalition struck Houthi missile facilities.
  • Residents received text warnings of a hostile aerial threat.

Sources (original reporting)

More stories from this day