Britons have been advised against all but essential travel to two tourism hotspots following what has been described as the “deadliest terror attack in a decade”.
The Foreign Office has warned against travel to the Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah and Dammam after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a series of attacks across the country.
The warning also covers all airports in Saudi Arabia, with the exception of Medina International Airport.
British nationals wishing to leave the country should consider travelling by land to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE or Jordan, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advised.
The warning follows a projectile striking a passenger terminal at Riyadh Airport on Sunday, a day after a deadly missile attack on the facility by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebel group killed 13 people.
The unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport, sparking a fire that killed one person and injured 11, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities.
Air defence systems also intercepted a cruise missile near the airport.
The Houthis have also warned airlines, passengers and airport staff to stay away from Saudi airports, threatening that “the worst is yet to come” if Riyadh continues its military campaign in Yemen.
Saudi authorities have extended the closure of Riyadh airport and announced that schools would move to online learning until Thursday.
The Saudi-led coalition has vowed to “respond firmly” to the attacks, while the Houthis claimed a Saudi airstrike on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, on Sunday killed a child and injured six others.
US President Donald Trump has said he is weighing whether to join the Saudi military campaign, telling reporters: “We’re going to look into it.”
Washington has so far provided intelligence and targeting assistance, with around 200 US military advisers stationed in Saudi Arabia, but has not directly joined the fighting against the Houthis.
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The prospect of deeper US involvement has raised fears of further escalation across the region, with the Houthis potentially resuming attacks on shipping through the Bab al-Mandab strait, a key route for global trade.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey issued a joint statement pledging to accelerate implementation of their mutual defence pact, including the deployment of military forces in the kingdom.
The UK has also pledged defensive military support, including aircraft refuelling to assist operations intercepting Houthi missiles, as Riyadh seeks further help from international allies.
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