Houthis claim drone and ballistic missile strikes on Riyadh, Abha airports and Khamis Mushait air base

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed on Wednesday that it carried out a series of drone and ballistic missile attacks targeting major airports and a military air base in Saudi Arabia, including the capital’s main international airport.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s forces struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile (in some statements described as drones), claiming the attack was precise and disrupted air traffic at the facility. It marked the second time this week that the Houthis have claimed to have targeted the Riyadh airport.

Saree also stated that Houthi forces conducted operations against Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia and King Khalid Air Base in the nearby city of Khamis Mushait, using a combination of ballistic missiles and drones. He asserted that the strikes “hit their targets accurately,” disrupted operations at Abha airport, and caused damage at the air base.

In additional statements, the Houthis claimed further attacks on military camps in the Jizan and Asir regions.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen rejected the claims of successful hits. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward the area north of Riyadh. Separate reports indicated a missile fired toward Khamis Mushait was also intercepted.

Saudi authorities have not publicly confirmed any successful strikes on the airports or air base, nor have they acknowledged temporary airspace closures. However, flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed intermittent disruptions to flights around King Khalid International Airport.

The claims come amid a sharp escalation in fighting inside Yemen, where Saudi-backed government forces are battling to reclaim territory from the Houthis, particularly near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Heavy clashes in recent days have reportedly killed hundreds of fighters on both sides.

The Houthis also claimed attacks near Aden International Airport in southern Yemen, which is under government control. Yemeni authorities reported missiles and drones targeting the airport area, with one missile landing near the runway shortly before a passenger flight from Cairo was due to land; the aircraft was diverted.

Independent verification of the Houthi claims regarding damage or disruption inside Saudi Arabia remains limited. Earlier this week, Saudi civil aviation authorities reported three people lightly injured and material damage after attacks on airports in Jazan and Najran near the Yemeni border.