Houthis attack Saudi airport for third time in four days

Pete Ross (0:00)

This is The Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Pete Ross. In the early hours of Monday, the 12th of October, Riyadh airport has struck for the third time in four days as Yemen's Houthi rebels continue to escalate their attacks on Saudi Arabia. Russia continues strikes on Ukraine, despite Donald Trump declaring a partial ceasefire.

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We begin with a fresh escalation to a conflict in the Middle East. The Yemen-based group known as the Houthis have continued their attacks on Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, they hit the main international airport in the capital, Riyadh, for the third time in four days. One person was killed. A strike there on Saturday killed at least 13 people and injured more than 300 The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, say they're targeting Saudi Arabia over its support for government forces in Yemen's civil war. The continuing attacks appear to be undermining Saudi Arabia's reputation as a haven for stability in the region. They also have the potential to widen the regional fallout of the US-Iran war and further disrupt the region's economy.

Our World News correspondent, Joe Inwood, has this report on the impact of Saturday's attack and the background to the conflict.

Joe Inwood (1:39)

Chaos at one of Saudi Arabia's most important airports. Inside the terminal, the damage is clear. The result of a missile strike. More than 300 people injured. Emergency services said to be overwhelmed. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for this attack, as well as one at a state-run gas plant.

The Iran-backed group control large parts of Yemen, Saudi Arabia's strategically significant southern neighbor. For more than a decade, the Houthis have been involved in a brutal civil war with the internationally recognized government, which has Saudi backing. Now, for the last couple of years, there's been an uneasy truce. But that was shattered in recent months. The Houthis made lightning advances down the Red Sea coast last month, giving them an even greater ability to threaten shipping in the Red Sea. Now, Saudi Arabia responded with air strikes and with the government recently retook some territory. The Houthi response to that could be seen at Riyadh Airport.

Last night, from the US president, condemnation of the attack, but no promise of support.

Donald Trump (2:49)

I think it's terrible. Terrible.

Justine Barwick (2:51)

Were the Saudis able to defend themselves without US support?

Donald Trump (2:55)

Well, they were able to defend. Look, the Saudis are good fighters, but I think the attack was a terrible thing.

Joe Inwood (3:01)

This attack was one of the most severe on Saudi soil in over a decade. Some of those killed are now being identified.

One of them, Bofaina Aweda, was a mother of four from Syria. She was a victim of a conflict she had no part in, but that seems to be escalating dangerously.

Pete Ross (3:19)

Jo Inwood. So, what are the implications of these attacks? Our senior international correspondent, Earl O'Garran, is in the Yemeni city of Aden.

Earl O'Garran (3:28)

The conflicts in this region are intertwined, and one of those conflicts is certainly now getting worse.

The attack on the airport in Riyadh was a major strike by the Houthis. They managed to target a building that was not only economically important to Saudi Arabia, but also a very politically sensitive site. Now since the strike on Saturday, the Houthis have struck again. We know they have hit a building at the airport. The Houthis are saying that Saudi airspace remains a target. They are telling airlines to stay away and say that that warning should be heeded.

Now Saudi Arabia for its part has pledged a decisive retaliation. Now we don't know what that will be, but people here in the region are certainly bracing for an escalation. And then there's the question of what this means for Donald Trump. His great ally, Saudi Arabia, has now been hit hard. The Saudis were already asking for more help he was holding back. Now he has a dilemma. Does he step in to help them with direct military aid? Or does he risk looking weak? And of course he has to think about the midterms which are fast approaching. And there is also a dimension to all of this that stretches far beyond the Middle East. This renewed, increased insecurity is going to drive concerns about the flow of global exports from this region. The Houthis have taken control of the strategic strait of Bab al-Mandab. That's already a problem.