Riyadh, 12 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation into how its air defense systems failed to intercept missiles and drones fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, including an attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport that killed at least 13 people and injured more than 300, according to regional officials. Initial findings suggest the Houthis deployed multiple drones before launching cruise and ballistic missiles toward the airport. The investigation will also examine why Saudi defense systems failed to issue an early warning, as the weapons reportedly travelled more than 1,000 kilometers to reach the Saudi capital. The attack, part of a series of Houthi strikes targeting Saudi airports, has raised serious concerns about the country’s air defense capabilities and the risk of further escalation across the Middle East. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman said recent developments were serious and required an equally serious response. Saudi state media reported that the military was responding to another attack involving drones and cruise missiles. Riyadh has also been seeking greater US involvement against the Houthis, while President Donald Trump said he was considering possible American strikes following the deadly airport attack. However, deeper US involvement could prompt the Houthis to disrupt shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening a major international trade route and further complicating regional energy supplies amid tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Houthi authorities reported casualties from airstrikes in Yemen’s al-Jawf province and the capital, Sanaa. The Riyadh airport remained closed, and some workers in the capital’s financial district were instructed to work from home. Separately, UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash called for joint Gulf action to protect regional countries, warning that attacks on Saudi Arabia also threatened the security of the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states. Iran’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the Saudi-Houthi fighting and offered to facilitate diplomatic talks between the two sides. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, said the attacks demonstrated that the United States had not yet achieved its deterrence objectives in the conflict with Iran.