The Iran-backed Houthi militia has intensified drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia this week, targeting airports and oil facilities while holding territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast that serves as a vital path for the kingdom’s oil shipments and global trade.

Saudi state media reported on Monday that the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen was working to counter additional drones and cruise missiles directed at the kingdom. This followed a weekend of attacks, including one on Saturday that struck an airport in the capital Riyadh and killed at least 13 people. Authorities confirmed operations at the Riyadh airport remained suspended after a further deadly strike on Sunday. The assaults form part of a broader surge by the Houthis against Saudi sites.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis rose sharply last month after Houthi forces took control of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. That area borders a major waterway used for international shipping and as an important outlet for Saudi oil exports. In response, Saudi warplanes have conducted bombing runs on Houthi positions to assist the internationally recognized Yemeni government in efforts to reclaim the land.

The Houthi militia has also directed attacks at Saudi oil facilities. One strike on Riyadh occurred just before the opening of the WPC Energy Congress, an international meeting of oil officials and executives held in the kingdom. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, the Saudi energy minister, addressed delegates at the event on Monday and stated that the events of recent weeks are serious and that the response must be equally serious.

These developments have disrupted airport operations in Riyadh and raised concerns for communities relying on stable energy flows and air travel in the region. The ongoing exchanges continue to affect local residents near targeted sites and those dependent on uninterrupted oil transport through the Red Sea corridor.