Saudi-Led Coalition Escalates Yemen Offensive; Riyadh Airport Attacked Three Times This Week; U.S. "Condemnation" Met With No Substantive Response

Riyadh airport was attacked three times within a single week, killing at least 12 and injuring more than 300. According to the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority, the dead include 4 Saudis, 1 Palestinian, 2 Bangladeshis, and one citizen each from the United States, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. The airport has suspended all operations, with roughly 225 flights canceled in the past 24 hours.

According to ABC News, this string of attacks follows a major military offensive launched by the Saudi-led coalition against Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. The coalition provides air support to government forces in Yemen, with one objective being to reverse recent Houthi advances along the Red Sea coast. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on Saudi airports, including one on Wednesday that killed a Sudanese citizen and another on Thursday that killed at least 3 Saudi citizens — among the dead a pilot. Yemen's Transportation Ministry said the Houthis, in the early hours of Wednesday local time, used ballistic missiles and drones carrying explosives to strike Aden International Airport.

In the face of Saudi civilian casualties, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio wrote on the social platform X that these "deplorable attacks demonstrate blatant disregard for innocent civilian lives" and must "stop immediately." But according to ABC News, when asked, U.S. President Trump offered only "not good" and "not happy" in response, and there is currently no sign of any substantive U.S. military support.

In parallel, Saudi interior authorities this week issued a public warning that "filming, publishing, or sharing information about intercepted missiles and drones and their impact sites will incur legal liability," further shrinking the space for verifying the costs of this war as it spills onto Saudi soil.

The trail of civilian casualties does not end in the Gulf. According to ABC News citing Gaza health officials and medical personnel, the Israeli military on Saturday carried out airstrikes near Panda Mall in Gaza City and in the Tuffah neighborhood south of Gaza City, killing 4 and 1 people respectively. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted "armed individuals" and provided no further details. Hamas denied rebuilding weapons stockpiles or plotting attacks, accusing Israel of undermining the ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States a year ago.

The war's chain reaction has appeared in the Palestinian political process. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signed a presidential decree on Saturday postponing the legislative elections scheduled for next month to September 11, 2027, and announced that presidential elections would be held on the same date. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the presidential decree cited "obstacles caused by Israeli measures" and the "political, security, and field conditions" required to hold "free, fair, and inclusive elections." Palestinians have not held legislative or presidential elections since 2005–2006, and Abbas has governed by decree since the expiration of his presidential term in 2009.