Summary

China: US may launch new airstrikes on Houthis after Riyadh airport attacks: expert. As clashes between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi group continue to escalate, the United States may launch a new round of airstrikes against the Houthis, potentially heightening regional tensions and making Yemen a core flashpoint in the Middle East conflict, according to a Chinese expert. Fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition showed no sign of abating on Sunday, as a fresh wave of attacks struck major Saudi airports. The Houthis claimed responsibility for new missile and drone operations against the airports and energy facilities, while the coalition vowed a firm response. Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) reported casualties from a new attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday -- the fourth to hit the hub in four days, after two strikes on Oct. 8 and another on Saturday afternoon -- and moved to suspend operations for damage assessments and safety checks. GACA later said King Fahd International Airport near Dammam had also come under attack on Sunday evening, with inspections underway to gauge the extent of the damage. Speaking in an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Wang Jin, a professor at the Institute of Middle East Studies of Northwest University, said the U.S. is highly likely to launch a new round of airstrikes against the Houthis, but he expects any such campaign to be limited in scale and difficult to sustain, driven mainly by the need to preserve U.S.-Saudi military ties and respond to the American casualties from the airport attacks. Looking further ahead, Wang expects U.S. military strikes to become an important new variable for Yemen and the wider region, as the standoff between the United States and Iran continues and the situation on the Yemeni battlefield enters a new phase. The war in Yemen, he said, is still far from over -- and where it heads next may decide whether the country becomes the decisive flashpoint of the wider Middle East conflict. Shotlist: Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, northwest China - Oct 11, 2026: Washington D.C., USA - Sept 24, 2026 1. Various of White House, U.S. national flags; Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, northwest China - Oct 11, 2026 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Jin, professor, Institute of Middle East Studies, Northwest University: "The U.S. has threatened to launch a new round of strikes against the Houthis, and the probability of such action is very high. Over the past two to three days, the situation on the Yemeni battlefield and the … More stories from StringersHub Join the flipboard community Discover, collect, and share stories for all your interestsSign up More stories from Yemen Saudis probe how defense systems failed to stop deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh airport CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation to determine how its air defenses failed to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, including an attack on Riyadh airport that killed at least 13 people and wounded over 300, two regional officials said … Saudis probe how defense systems failed to stop deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh airport CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation to determine how its air defenses failed to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones fired …