A wave of Houthi-led missile and drone strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha airport has caused significant casualties and widespread operational chaos across Saudi Arabia. Over a span of three days, these attacks resulted in multiple deaths—including airport staff and foreign nationals—and damaged critical infrastructure, such as medical facilities and schools, due to falling debris. In response, the Saudi-led military coalition has launched retaliatory strikes on over 80 Houthi military sites, vowing that the aggression will not go unpunished as the regional conflict intensifies.

The attacks triggered massive disruptions in civil aviation, with nearly half of all scheduled departures from Riyadh cancelled at the height of the crisis. Major carriers, including Saudia, flynas, and international operators like Etihad Airways, were forced to suspend flights, leaving passengers stranded and prompting urgent security advisories from Western nations. While Saudi authorities have since indicated that airport operations are returning to normal, international governments and the UN have issued strong condemnations, branding the strikes a dangerous violation of sovereignty that threatens both regional stability and global civil aviation safety.