Houthi missiles kill 53 soldiers at Yemen government base

The Middle East war entered another tense phase on Tuesday after Houthi ballistic missile strikes killed at least 53 soldiers and wounded more than 200 recruits at a Yemeni military camp, the deadliest attack since the Iran-aligned group resumed large-scale operations in July.

Houthi rebels struck Yemeni government forces with ballistic missiles at a camp in Shabwa province, killing at least 53 soldiers and wounding 200 recruits, according to military officials and the provincial government.

The BBC reported that three ballistic missiles hit the Martyr Ahmed al-Sulaimani Training Centre at Al-Alam camp, where new internal-security recruits were training.

Riyadh’s airport remains closed following deadly attacks, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has made an unannounced visit to the region.

Saudi airport closure disrupts life in kingdom’s capital

The prolonged closure of Riyadh’s airport after a series of fatal attacks has exposed the risks confronting Saudi Arabia’s drive to shift its international image, disrupting businesses, airlines and residents more than a week after flights were grounded.

Deadly strikes by Yemen’s Houthis in recent weeks have dealt a blow to the kingdom, forcing the airport to close until further notice and a slate of events to be postponed or cancelled including its flagship investment forum dubbed “Davos in the desert”.

Government agencies in the Saudi capital have also told employees to work from home starting Monday, one worker and two consultants told AFP, as has the 99-storey Kingdom Centre skyscraper in downtown Riyadh housing the regional office of the International Monetary Fund.

“When people start throwing missiles directly at Riyadh airport and any other airport, you can’t just continue to operate,” said Captain Desmond Ross, an aviation expert based in Dubai and Ireland with decades of experience as a pilot and air traffic controller.

“An attack on an airport is something entirely different from a non-aviation target,” he told AFP.

“I think Riyadh has suffered that more dramatically than any other of the Gulf nations or the Arab nations,” during the ongoing Middle East war.

Iran’s has placed 122 vessels on its latest “non-compliance list,” saying it has acted against more than 40, according to a statement published by Iranian state media.

The Gulf Strait Authority said 19 vessels are negotiating to avoid listing or secure removal if already included.

Two vessels have agreed to meet their obligations and be removed, while about 30 others have received warnings and will be listed if they fail to respond.

The statement said the authority would assist vessels that voluntarily address violations and seek removal from the list.