Overview
- Over the weekend, Huthi missiles struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, causing scores of civilian casualties and heavy damage to a passenger terminal.
- Saudi authorities have closed the airport and extended the suspension of operations while major carriers including Qatar Airways and Etihad have paused flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah.
- Early government investigations indicate Huthi forces used swarms of drones to mask follow-on cruise and ballistic missiles that overwhelmed air-defence coverage and may have depleted Patriot interceptors.
- President Trump has left U.S. military action on the table as Washington weighs options, and Riyadh is pressing partners under the Mekka pact and other regional arrangements to increase security support.
- The attacks have disrupted international business events, pushed oil prices higher, and underscored the Huthis’ growing reach from the Red Sea coast and Sanaa, which could widen the Iran-linked conflict and harm Saudi economic plans.