Saudi Arabia says three killed at airport as Yemen war expands

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia reported on Friday that three individuals, including a pilot, lost their lives in assaults on the capital's international airport, following Yemen's Houthi forces' claims of a series of attacks against the facility. The conflict between the Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government has spilled over into the kingdom, with the Iran-supported fighters launching repeated assaults on Saudi targets since initiating a rapid offensive just across the border.

Beyond taking control of extensive areas along the Red Sea coast in Yemen, the Houthis have employed missiles and drones to hit Saudi transportation hubs, oil installations, and other civilian objectives in the world's leading oil producer.

The Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed that two raids on Thursday on Riyadh's airport and a Saudia Airlines aircraft resulted in the demise of three citizens, expressing deep sorrow. The attacks prompted diplomats in Riyadh to seek shelter and international schools to adopt safety protocols, as explosions rattled the city on Thursday.

Numerous flights at King Khalid International Airport were delayed or canceled, while the kingdom's civil defense agency reported that missile interception debris damaged a kindergarten and a medical center in the city.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree indicated on Friday that planes might require permission from the group to fly in or out of the transit hub. Humanitarian flights to and from Riyadh Airport will be allowed for all flights sanctioned by a Houthi coordinating body in Sanaa, he stated on X. Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces, supported by Riyadh, have failed to reclaim the territory lost to the Houthis, despite a counter-offensive aimed at retaking areas, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which is vital for global shipping.

While a Saudi diplomat claimed on Friday that Riyadh-backed forces had successfully recaptured the region, a military source on the ground gave a conflicting account, stating that the fighting was ongoing.