Saudi Arabia faces Houthi attacks without Western backing
A fresh Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia has sparked a fire at a fuel storage area of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, raising questions about Riyadh's options as it can no longer count on the same level of Western support.
Saudi Arabia has again come under attack from Houthi fighters, with the latest incident marked by images showing a large plume of black smoke rising from a fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The report, published by France 24, situates the incident within the broader tensions unfolding across the Middle East.
Background to the attacks
The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of Yemen, has for some time targeted Saudi Arabian infrastructure, and this time one of the country's major air transport hubs appears to have been affected. The images from the scene point to a significant incident at the airport's fuel storage facility.
The question of Western support
France 24 highlights that Saudi Arabia currently lacks the level of Western backing it previously relied on, complicating the kingdom's ability to respond to repeated attacks. This raises the question of what alternatives remain available to Riyadh as it seeks to protect critical infrastructure and its population from further threats.
The report was published on 20 September 2026 and reflects the wider regional security situation, in which Saudi Arabia continues to face threats from Houthi fighters while searching for ways to ensure its own defence amid a shifting geopolitical landscape.