Saudis investigate why defense systems failed to stop deadly Riyadh airport attack

Saudi Arabia has opened an inquiry into why its air defenses did not stop missiles and drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. An attack on Riyadh airport killed at least 13 people and injured more than 300.

Investigators are looking at whether detection systems failed to warn of the incoming weapons in time. One official said the projectiles crossed more than 1,000 kilometers before reaching the capital. Some Houthi missiles can change course in flight, complicating interception by Patriot systems.

The strike is part of a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi airports that began last week. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two missiles directed at Riyadh on Monday; after explosions were heard that night, civil defense officials said the immediate danger had passed.

The Houthis later claimed they had targeted King Khalid Airport and warned airlines against using Saudi airports, with Mecca and Medina excluded. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman called recent events serious and said the response should match their gravity.

Saudi Arabia wants Washington to take a more direct role against the Houthis. The United States has helped with intelligence and planning but has not carried out strikes. Greater U.S. involvement could risk Houthi action against shipping near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a route for oil exports from the Persian Gulf; the coalition is also trying to retake areas rebels seized there last month.