Yemen's pro-Iranian Houthi group on Thursday gave a final warning to global airlines flying from Saudi airspace, saying that the area has now become the hub of their military operations. The Houthi group also claimed to have attacked King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh with a ballistic missile.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari said the missile hit its target accurately, disrupting operations at the airport. There was no immediate official confirmation of the claim of a new attack from Saudi Arabia. “We are issuing a final appeal and warning to all global airlines that they should consider the consequences of flying into Saudi airspace, as this area has now become a battleground for our military operations,” Saari said, adding that the airspace over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina was excluded from the warning.
The Houthi statement came hours after Saudi Arabia announced that one person had been killed in an attack on the same airport. Meanwhile, the US mission in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday warned citizens to be more cautious. The mission said the Houthi group's threat to airports and airspace could lead to flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.
“Given the current security situation in Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group's public threats against Saudi airports and airspace, the US Mission advises all US citizens to exercise increased caution,” the statement said.
“The Houthi group has launched attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, including airports, and military fighting is likely to escalate. US citizens should be aware of flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions,” the statement said. “You should check directly with the airline and airport concerned to determine whether your flight will depart as scheduled,” the US mission advised.
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