Missile Shrapnel Damages Riyadh School and Clinic Following Fresh Houthi Attack

UPDATE - follow-up to Houthis claim new attack against airport in Saudi capital Riyadh as witness reports evacuation: Shrapnel from an intercepted missile damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh on Thursday.

Details

Several explosions shook the Saudi capital after Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed a new ballistic missile attack on King Khalid International Airport. Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, stated that forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired toward Riyadh. They also intercepted another ballistic missile aimed at Khamis Mushait in the southwest near the Yemen border.

Impact

The civil defence agency reported that missile fragments fell across the city, causing material damage to the school and clinic buildings without specifying if there were any casualties. Meanwhile, King Khalid International Airport advised passengers to check their flight status with airlines directly before heading to the terminal. The Houthi rebels also issued a final warning to global airlines regarding flights through Saudi airspace.

Context

Conflicts involving cross-border missile and drone launches frequently disrupt regional aviation and endanger civilian areas. Civil defence teams routinely respond to falling debris and shrapnel when air defence systems intercept incoming projectiles.