Saudi Arabia launches investigation into failed interception of Houthi airstrike

Saudi Arabian officials said on the 12th that Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation to find out why its air defense system failed to intercept all the large number of missiles and drones launched by Yemen's Houthi armed group, including the recent Houthi airstrike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. This is September 19, when thick smoke rose near King Khalid International Airport in the northeast of the Saudi capital Riyadh. Xinhua News Agency reported that on the 12th, the Associated Press, citing two officials who declined to be named, reported that a preliminary investigation showed that the Houthis first launched swarms of drones to disrupt Saudi radar systems, providing cover for the launch of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles in an attack on King Khalid International Airport. According to this report, some of the Houthis' missiles have advanced technology and can perform in-flight maneuvers to penetrate defenses, posing a challenge to the U.S.-made missile defense systems such as the "Patriot" system equipped by Saudi Arabia. One of the officials said that Saudi Arabia's investigation is also focusing on why the air defense system failed to issue a timely alert before King Khalid International Airport was attacked on the 10th. At that time, the missiles and drones launched by the Houthis flew about 1,000 kilometers before reaching Riyadh. The attack caused 12 deaths and 309 injuries, making it the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia since 2015.