An attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people and wounded 309 on Saturday, marking the deadliest strike in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. The explosion forced civil aviation authorities to suspend operations and divert all flights, while the United States and United Kingdom issued new travel warnings for their citizens.

The Houthis, an Iran-backed group that launched a military campaign against the kingdom in September, claimed responsibility for the airport strike. They also claimed two additional attacks on the facility earlier this week and warned travelers to avoid Saudi airports on Sunday. Riyadh maintains one of the most advanced, multilayered air defence networks globally, yet officials confirmed their systems failed to intercept the projectile that struck the capital’s main hub.

The breach highlights the evolving capabilities of the group, which has fired hundreds of drones and missiles at Saudi targets since 2015. Their arsenal includes medium-range ballistic missiles like the Palestine-2 and the Toufan, both capable of striking targets thousands of kilometres away. Short-range systems such as the Burkan and Badr series have also been used in cross-border strikes. Experts note that the weapons largely trace back to Iranian designs and Chinese technology, with local production limited to simpler drones and lower-end rockets.

Saudi forces intercepted several projectiles over the past week, including two ballistic missiles aimed at the capital on Thursday. Despite these successes, occasional penetrations remain a reality. “As much as you can have a multi-layered air defence system, one will always come through,” said Nawaf Obaid of Kings College War Studies. He noted that dozens of attempts are thwarted for every successful strike, though the kingdom has faced shortages of Patriot and THAAD interceptor munitions. Analysts say Riyadh is likely repositioning some defences to counter the rising Houthi threat.

The group operates under a UN arms embargo and a Saudi blockade while fighting on multiple fronts across Yemen. Military experts suggest the Houthis have limited stocks of short-range ballistic missiles left, making large-scale saturation attacks unlikely. Instead, they are likely targeting less-defended civilian infrastructure to disrupt air travel and maximize strategic impact. Meanwhile, Saudi air campaigns continue to strike Houthi missile depots and production facilities, inflicting significant damage on their military capabilities.