India condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi airports as Riyadh faces fresh missile strike

India on Thursday strongly condemned a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia's international airports in Riyadh and Abha, describing strikes against civilian infrastructure as “completely unacceptable” and expressing solidarity with the Saudi people and government.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the attacks over the past few days had targeted Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, causing civilian deaths and injuries.

“The targeting of civilian infrastructure is completely unacceptable. We express our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. We wish speedy recovery for those injured,” the MEA said.

“We express solidarity and stand with the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” it added.

Houthis claim fresh Riyadh airport strike

India's statement came hours after Yemen's Houthi movement claimed it had launched another attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had used a ballistic missile and claimed that it hit the airport “with precision”. He said the attack disrupted operations at the airport.

The Houthis also issued a warning to international airlines, urging them not to operate flights through Saudi airspace, except over the sacred areas of Mecca al-Mukarramah and Medina al-Munawwarah.

“We reiterate our call and warning for the last time to all global airlines regarding the consequences of continuing to operate flights in Saudi airspace, which has become a theater for our military operations,” Saree said in a post on X.

Saudi Arabia had not immediately confirmed the latest Houthi claim. Reuters reported that the attack followed an earlier strike on the same airport that killed one person, according to Saudi officials.

Three killed, 36 injured in earlier airport attacks

The latest claim came a day after the Houthis said they had carried out a series of attacks across Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport on Tuesday and Wednesday killed three people and injured 36.

Two women, a Moroccan and an Algerian resident, were killed in the attack on Abha, while a Sudanese national was killed in the Riyadh strike. Twenty-eight people were injured at Abha and eight at King Khalid airport, according to Saudi authorities.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for both attacks. Saudi authorities did not directly attribute the strikes to the group in their initial statement, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile north of Riyadh and destroyed a launch platform in Yemen's capital, Sana'a.

Blasts reported across Riyadh

The latest escalation has raised security concerns in the Saudi capital.

Multiple explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, according to AFP. Diplomats were instructed to take shelter in their respective embassies as the security situation remained tense.

Residents also told AFP that international schools were taking precautions. One school reportedly moved children into a basement for safety, while some companies evacuated employees from the area.

The attacks have also disrupted aviation in the wider region. The Houthis have targeted airports in Yemen as well, including Aden International Airport, where attacks disrupted flight operations.

Wider Yemen conflict intensifies

The airport attacks come amid a renewed escalation between the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen.

The fighting has intensified around Yemen's Red Sea coast and the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a crucial route for international trade.

Saudi-backed forces supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government have been fighting to regain territory from the Houthis, while the Saudi-led coalition has stepped up air and military operations against Houthi positions.

The renewed violence has also raised concerns over the security of regional aviation and maritime trade routes. The conflict has displaced more than 200,000 people inside Yemen, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.

The Gulf Cooperation Council has also condemned the attacks on Abha and King Khalid airports, saying the targeting of civilian airports and the endangerment of passengers and airport personnel represented a dangerous escalation and a violation of international norms.

India's condemnation comes against this backdrop of widening regional instability, with New Delhi stressing that civilian infrastructure and the safety of civilians must not be targeted.