Saudi Arabia Vows 'Serious Response' to Houthi Airport Attacks

Saudi Arabia has vowed a "serious response" to recent Houthi attacks on the kingdom's airports, including a significant escalation that killed 13 people in the capital, Riyadh. The Houthis have intensified missile and drone assaults on Saudi infrastructure, targeting airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea.

These actions come as Yemen's four-year-old informal ceasefire begins to falter. The Houthis stated their attacks are retaliation for what they describe as a Saudi blockade of ports and airports within their territory. They also blamed the Saudi-led coalition for an airstrike on Sanaa airport, an accusation Saudi Arabia has not directly addressed. However, the Yemeni government has claimed responsibility for that strike, asserting it was an effort to prevent an unauthorized Iranian plane from landing.

Last month, the Iran-aligned Houthi group launched an offensive along Yemen's southwestern Red Sea coast, seizing territory overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait. While the Houthis assert they pose no threat to international shipping in the waterway, they have pledged to continue targeting vessels originating from Saudi Arabia. The control of this strait has contributed to a rise in global oil prices, as Saudi Arabia had been increasingly relying on Red Sea routes for oil exports following disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to the Houthi gains, the Yemeni government announced a new offensive last week aimed at reclaiming territory held by the Houthis. Pro-government forces reported recapturing areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait with the support of Saudi airstrikes, though the Houthis have disputed these claims, stating they have not lost any territory. The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa, escalating in 2015 with the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition seeking to restore the government's authority.