Saudi Coalition says Houthi Missile Targeted Riyadh on Monday Night

“The events of recent weeks are serious. Our response must be equally serious,” Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud said at an energy conference in Riyadh, addressing a week of escalating aerial attacks that have tested the kingdom’s defenses.

Ballistic Missiles Intercepted Over Riyadh and Khamis Mushait

Turki Al-Maliki, the spokesperson for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting in Yemen, stated on X that forces intercepted one ballistic missile fired at Riyadh alongside two additional missiles aimed at Khamis Mushait in the southwest. Residents across Riyadh reported hearing several powerful explosions on Monday night immediately following text message warnings sent to their mobile phones regarding an incoming aerial threat. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, countered that the group had specifically targeted King Khalid International airport in Riyadh with ballistic and cruise missiles, while also deploying a drone toward a military airbase in Khamis Mushait near the Yemeni border.

The daily exchange follows a devastating strike on Saturday at King Khalid International airport. The Wall Street Journal noted that the Saturday attack killed at least 13 people and injured hundreds more, marking the deadliest assault on the United States or its Gulf allies since regional conflicts escalated. According to regional officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, Saudi authorities have opened an investigation into why national air defense systems failed to stop the barrage. An initial inquiry revealed that the Houthis launched several drones to clear a path for a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles that ultimately bypassed defenses.

https://x.com/aliShihabi/status/2109310434167976155

Saudi Airport Closures Force Widespread Flight Cancellations

With King Khalid International airport remaining closed following the weekend strikes, regional carriers have scrambled to alter schedules. Saudi authorities announced the airport will stay shut until Saturday, forcing widespread flight cancellations. International airlines have taken immediate precautions in response to Houthi warnings. Yahya Saree warned international airlines and travelers against operating flights to Saudi airports outside of Mecca and Medina, declaring the facilities unsafe.

Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, similarly suspended all Riyadh flights through Saturday. Meanwhile, US operator Delta delayed the launch of direct flights from Atlanta to Riyadh previously scheduled for October 23. The disruptions have placed intense pressure on major events in the capital, including the kingdom’s flagship investment conference and the WPC Energy Congress, which dropped several top oil executives from its programme.

A number of passengers run for cover after the missile strike — Photo: BBC

Economic Strains on Vision 2030 and Regional Security

The campaign by Iran-backed Houthi militants presents profound challenges to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, an ambitious blueprint designed to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy. Despite initial hopes that pipelines bypassing the Strait of Hormuz would insulate Saudi exports, the sustained tempo of missile and drone attacks has demonstrated the growing military reach of the Houthi movement. Prince Abdulaziz insisted at the Riyadh energy conference that investment and economic transformation must continue despite the security pressures.

International reactions remain polarized. U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Houthis during a press briefing, stating they were “misbehaving very badly,” though he offered no indication of direct military intervention. Conversely, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, warned the Agence France-Presse that any U.S. military involvement in the aggression against Yemen would provoke a swift and painful response targeting American interests in the region. Al-Bukhaiti also reiterated warnings for all workers at Saudi oil facilities and airports to stay away from designated targets.