Saudi Arabia is investigating why its air defenses failed to intercept Houthi missiles and drones that struck King Khalid International Airport, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 300.
Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation to determine how its air defenses failed to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people and wounded over 300, according to two regional officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The initial probe indicated that Yemen’s Houthis first fired multiple drones to pave the way for a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles to reach the airport. One official stated that the investigation also aims to find out why air defense systems did not provide earlier warning of the attack, in which the Houthi missiles and drones flew over 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) to reach Riyadh.
The Houthis possess ballistic missiles and advanced systems fitted with warheads that can change direction during flight, posing a challenge to Patriot interceptors and other defense systems used by the Saudis. The incident has exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s defense system and signaled a dangerous inflection point in an expanding Mideast conflict that began more than seven months ago when the U.S. and Israel began their war against Iran.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman addressed the World Petroleum Energy Congress in Riyadh on Monday regarding the attacks. "The events of recent weeks are serious," he said. "Our response must be equally serious."
Separately, Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the rulers of the United Arab Emirates, called for "joint Gulf action" to defend Gulf countries against attacks by Iran and its allied groups. Gargash stated that Iran and its allies wrongly assessed that Gulf Arabs were "the weakest link" in the U.S. war against Iran. "It has become clear that we are all targeted, and that our security is indivisible," he wrote on social media.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the fighting between the Saudis and Houthis. "We are severely concerned about developments in the Arabian Peninsula," spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at his weekly briefing. "We have many times announced readiness for applying our good offices in order to facilitate talks between the two sides."
The Saudi-led coalition said it had twice intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles launched Monday by Yemen’s Houthi rebels toward Riyadh. At least three explosions could be heard Monday night in the city, though there was no immediate claim of responsibility. Civil Defense officials later said the danger had passed.
Saudi officials want the U.S. to become more directly involved in their fight against the Houthis. The U.S. has provided intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for a Saudi-led offensive, but has held off on carrying out strikes against the Houthis. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday after the deadly airport strike that he was looking at the possibility of carrying out U.S. attacks against the Houthis.
The conflict comes at a delicate time for Trump, just weeks before U.S. midterm elections. Persistent inflation and high gas prices fueled by the ongoing conflict with Iran have driven widespread American disapproval of that war. Expanding U.S. military involvement in the region risks further stoking voters’ resentment.
Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry said Monday that airstrikes on a government complex and a house in the northern province of al-Jawf killed nine people, including five children and a woman, and wounded seven others, according to the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency. Houthi officials also said that Saudi Arabia carried out new strikes on the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, killing one person and wounding 12.
The Riyadh airport remained closed on Monday, and workers in the capital’s financial district were told to work from home. Dozens of mourners attended the Monday funeral for Mahmoud Al-Barqawi, 33, a Jordanian citizen killed in the missile strike on King Khalid International Airport. His father, Hasan al-Barqawi, said the family was struggling to cope. "No one can truly feel the pain of this tragedy," he said.
The failure of Saudi air defenses to intercept the attack highlights significant vulnerabilities in the kingdom's military infrastructure amidst an escalating regional conflict. The incident has prompted calls for greater U.S. involvement and joint Gulf action, while simultaneously complicating diplomatic efforts and domestic political calculations in Washington ahead of midterm elections.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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