Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia on Thursday, striking Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport with a ballistic missile and damaging a parked Saudia Airlines plane, according to three people briefed on the matter . Witnesses reported explosions and thick black smoke at the airport, prompting evacuations and the suspension of outgoing flights. Lufthansa and Air India confirmed they were halting flights to Riyadh, with aviation data showing nearly half of departures canceled by 1500 GMT on Thursday and 31 more expected on Friday across Saudi airports .
Saudi civil defense authorities said debris from an intercepted missile also damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh . The Houthis, who claim the attacks are retaliation for Saudi support of Yemen’s government, warned workers to avoid energy plants, signaling further strikes .
Simultaneously, Iran intensified pressure in the Strait of Hormuz, where state broadcaster IRIB reported powerful explosions on Thursday, suggesting oil tankers using unauthorized routes had struck naval mines . The Wall Street Journal noted crude prices surged as Tehran targeted shipping traffic while Yemeni militants rained missiles on Riyadh . Rigzone reported oil prices spiked amid the escalating tanker attacks .
The Houthis have seized key Yemeni ports and advanced toward Taiz, while Saudi-led airstrikes hit 82 Houthi military positions in response . Turkey and Pakistan are assessing defensive support for Saudi Arabia under a joint pact .
