According to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), Yemen's Houthi movement launched drones at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday evening, marking the first time the Iranian-backed group has used drones against the Saudi capital's aviation hub. The strike follows a series of ballistic missile attacks on the same facility earlier today.
For the first time, Yemen's Houthi movement launched drones at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday evening, according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS). The attack marks a new phase in the Iranian-backed group's ongoing offensive against the Saudi capital, which until tonight had relied primarily on ballistic missiles. The shift to unmanned aerial vehicles introduces a new challenge for air defense systems and signals an expansion of the Houthi tactical arsenal.
Earlier today, The Zioneer reported a direct hit on the same airport by Houthi ballistic missiles at 15:02 Jerusalem time, with heavy smoke and flight disruptions. At 19:17, The Zioneer confirmed a drone strike on the airport, followed by reports of additional Houthi attacks targeting seven other Saudi regions. Senior Houthi figure Hazam al-Asadi threatened further strikes, stating "the next one will be bigger, with Allah's help." The escalation has unfolded within hours, moving from missile to drone warfare against a key aviation hub.
The Houthi movement, an Iranian proxy and a central component of the 'Axis of Resistance,' has been intensifying its campaign against Saudi Arabia since declaring an end to the ceasefire. As The Zioneer reported previously, the group has targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, maritime traffic in the Red Sea, and military installations. The targeting of Riyadh's primary international airport — a critical node for both civilian travel and military logistics — underscores the strategic ambition of the current offensive.
The full extent of damage or flight disruptions caused by the drone attack has not yet been confirmed. Saudi authorities have imposed severe penalties on sharing footage of the strikes, limiting open-source assessment. Whether this drone strike marks a sustained shift in Houthi tactics or a one-time escalation remains to be seen.
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Source and signal
- Open-source intake