Saudi-Houthi conflict intensifies

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels escalated sharply on Saturday after a strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to reports. Several of the injured were in critical condition.
The dead included two Bangladeshis, four Saudi nationals, and one citizen each of the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The attack was reported to be the deadliest of its kind in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
The escalation continued on Sunday, when the Houthis said an airport under their control in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, had come under another attack. They blamed Saudi Arabia but provided no further details.
Saudi authorities kept Riyadh’s airport closed on Sunday and moved schools in the capital to online classes as the Houthis threatened further strikes across the kingdom.
Saturday’s attack – the third deadly strike reported in the kingdom within a week – intensified the confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis and further complicated efforts to contain the wider US-Israeli war against Iran.
The Houthis on Sunday warned airlines, travellers and airport workers to stay away from Saudi airports, saying the facilities and the kingdom’s airspace were vulnerable to further attacks.
“We renew our warning to all airlines, experts, employees, workers and travellers against using Saudi airports and airspace, as they are vulnerable to attack and have become a theatre of operations for our forces, with the exception of the airports in [the holy cities of] Mecca and Medina,” the group said in a post on X.
“We urge everyone to take our warnings seriously, and Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions.”
Saudi Arabia has stepped up its military involvement in Yemen in recent weeks, launching strikes against the Houthis and backing a counter-offensive by the Yemeni government after the rebels seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast last month.
Yemen’s Houthi-run foreign ministry warned on Sunday that further Saudi military action would prompt a stronger response, saying the group would act on the principle of reciprocity.
“Unless the Saudi enemy stops its aggression and interference in Yemen, worse is yet to come, God willing,” the ministry said in statements carried by Houthi-run Al Masirah television.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington was considering joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis, as the conflict in Yemen became increasingly entangled with the wider war involving Iran.
The Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday that a projectile had also landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. It reported intercepting a drone in the region on Sunday.

The attack on Riyadh airport drew widespread international condemnation. Arab countries, European nations, the United States, Russia, Pakistan, the United Nations and European Union were among those that denounced the strike.
Dhaka condemns attack, prioritises safety of Bangladeshis
Dhaka on Sunday strongly condemned the deadly attack on Riyadh’s airport, called for an immediate end to hostilities and urged all parties to protect civilians.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families, including those of the two Bangladeshi victims, and wished the injured a full and speedy recovery.
The deceased were identified as Md Shahed Ahammed, from Shahjahanpur in Bogura, and Md Nasrullah Badarpuri, from Nangolkot in Cumilla.
Speaking to reporters at the foreign ministry on Sunday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said 14 Bangladeshis had died in the conflict so far.
“Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has repeatedly emphasised that ensuring the safety and welfare of Bangladeshis working abroad is the government’s foremost priority. The Bangladesh mission is contacting expatriates to assess their condition and issuing guidance to help them remain safe,” she said.
Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad also strongly condemned the attack on King Khalid International Airport, expressing deep sorrow and concern over the incident.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, the minister spoke with Mohammad Ali Kashemi, the group leader responsible for the affected Umrah pilgrims, to enquire about the condition of those injured.
He also arranged assistance on Saturday night to ensure safe accommodation for the affected pilgrims.
The minister said Saudi Arabia held a uniquely sacred place in the hearts of Muslims worldwide as the home of the Holy Kaaba in Mecca and the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Mosque in Medina.
He stressed that peace, stability and security in Saudi Arabia were of paramount importance to the global Muslim community, describing attacks against the kingdom as unacceptable.
Kaikobad called on Muslim-majority countries and the wider Muslim world to condemn such attacks collectively and stand united against violence.
“Any attack on the guests of Allah is wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We strongly condemn this barbaric attack and extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives,” he said in the statement.
He added that the government stood firmly beside the bereaved families and would provide all necessary assistance, including medical care and other support for the injured.

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