Yemen's Houthi rebels say they struck Saudi Arabia's main international airport in the capital, Riyadh, with a missile attack on Thursday.

They said the strike killed three people and injured several others. It was the third time this week that the armed group claimed to have targeted the airport.

"Our armed forces successfully targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile, which accurately struck its target and disrupted airport operations," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on X.

The conflict in Yemen has increasingly spilled across the country's borders since reigniting in July.

A day earlier, the Saudi-backed and internationally recognized Yemeni government announced a major counteroffensive against the Houthis, who are fighting government forces for control of additional territory.

At the same time, the rebels also warned passenger airlines to stop flying through Saudi airspace.

"We reiterate our call and warning, for the last time, to all international airlines against continuing to operate flights through Saudi airspace," Saree said.

Flight delays at Riyadh's main airport 

The flight tracker FlightRadar24 indicated numerous delayed arrivals and departures at Riyadh's main international airport.

Some schools in Riyadh told parents there were orders to shelter in place, though authorities did not issue a public alert.

The renewed fighting in Yemen has shattered a relative calm that existed in the country since a 2022 truce largely put a halt to fighting in Yemen's 12-year civil war.

Saudi Arabia said it wants to eliminate the Houthis, which is designated a terrorist group by the US.

The kingdom has pushed for support from allied nations, including Turkey and Pakistan, even if only in a logistical or defensive capacity, Reuters reports. 

What is the status of the conflict?

According to the United Nations (UN), the conflict has displaced more than 200,000 people within Yemen.

This week, the Yemeni government claimed to have pushed Houthi fighters out of strategic areas along the Red Sea coast and around the port city of Mocha.

Coalition forces spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said 82 Houthi military targets had been destroyed in the Yemeni provinces of Saada, Marib, Al Jawf, and Al Hudaydah. Al-Maliki did not provide details about casualties or damage, and his claims could not be independently verified.

The targets reportedly included missile launch sites, command centers, and missile and weapons depots.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher

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