Iran: Houthis claim Riyadh airport attack as Saudis report missile interception
Missile claim and response
Yahya Saree, spokesperson for Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, said Monday morning that the group launched a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudi military spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki said on X that Saudi forces intercepted a Houthi missile bound for Riyadh. He also reported airstrikes against missile storage and launch sites in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen.
Wider fighting in Yemen
Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been fighting more intensely. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi military assets, oil infrastructure and transport facilities. The attacks form part of wider tensions involving Iran and the United States. Talks between the two countries remain stalled despite a memorandum of understanding signed in June, aimed at ending a war that began with joint American-Israeli strikes in February.
US intelligence warning
A U.S. official said information about Houthi attacks and Iranian plots targeting U.S. officials was shaping decisions on staffing at regional embassies with restricted operations. Clayton said he would seek to downgrade as much intelligence as possible for wider sharing within the State Department.
Plans for possible Iran strikes
Israeli sources said the United States and Israel had prepared plans for renewed strikes on Iran, likely after the U.S. midterm elections. They cited President Donald Trump’s reluctance to further unsettle oil markets during the final days of the campaign.
Key points
- Yahya Saree said the Houthis launched a ballistic missile at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
- Col. Turki Al-Maliki reported that Saudi forces intercepted a missile headed for Riyadh.
- Saudi forces also struck Houthi missile storage and launch sites in Yemen, Al-Maliki said.
- U.S.-Iran talks remain stalled, while officials have raised concerns about threats and possible future strikes.