Why are the Houthis striking Saudi airports?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed a series of strikes on Saudi airports, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, where an attack on Sunday killed one person and injured nearly a dozen others. The outlet says the day before, another strike killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. It describes the attacks as among the most disruptive to Saudi civil aviation in years and the deadliest on Saudi territory in more than a decade.

The article says the recent escalation comes amid fighting between the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, after a UN-brokered ceasefire that had largely held since 2022 fell apart. Al Jazeera lists several airports reportedly hit, including facilities in Riyadh, Dammam, Abha, Jazan and Najran, while also noting that Yemeni government forces have struck airports in Houthi-held areas, including Sanaa.

According to the report, the airport attacks have affected flights in and out of Riyadh, prompting suspensions and cancellations by airlines such as Lufthansa and Air France-KLM. Saudi Arabia continues to position itself as a secure venue for major business and sporting events, so the strikes carry broader significance for the kingdom’s aviation safety and international image.

The article also cites a conflict analyst who said the Houthis may be seeking greater leverage and concessions from Saudi Arabia. More broadly, Al Jazeera frames the airport attacks as part of a wider war front tied to control of airfields, shipping routes and territory in Yemen.