Houthi missile strikes on Abha and Riyadh airports kill three, wound 36
Houthi missile strikes on Abha and Riyadh airports kill three, wound 36
DUBAI: Attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement struck two airports in Saudi Arabia this week, including one in the capital, killing three people and wounding 36 others, the kingdom’s civil aviation authority said on Wednesday. The Houthi attacks on Saudi airports mark an escalation in a conflict increasingly spilling across the border from Yemen.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said Abha International Airport in the southwest and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport came under attack on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Houthi attacks on Saudi airports: what happened at Abha and Riyadh
At Abha, near the Yemeni border, two female residents, one Moroccan and one Algerian, were killed and 28 others wounded, including Saudi citizens and Bangladeshi and Filipino residents, the authority said.
At Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, the kingdom’s main international gateway, one person, a Sudanese national, was killed and eight others were wounded. The authority said both attacks caused material damage and that it was working with the relevant agencies to assess the damage and verify the safety of the facilities.
Early on Wednesday, Riyadh-bound flights were held in holding patterns until the all-clear, then resumed with little disruption.
Houthis claim the strikes and warn airlines away
The Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group that controls much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, claimed responsibility. Their military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said on Tuesday that the group had fired a ballistic missile at the Riyadh airport and “disrupted air traffic”. He also claimed strikes on an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, on Abha airport, the Khamis Mushait air base and what he called sensitive sites in Najran and Jizan near the Yemeni border.
A day earlier, Saree had warned “all international airlines using Saudi airspace” to halt their flights, exempting only the airspace over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The United States Mission in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert on Wednesday, warning Americans of potential drone and missile attacks, flight cancellations and airspace closures. Saudi officials separately warned the public that filming and sharing images of attacks or interceptions could bring legal charges.
The Houthis also attacked Aden’s international airport on Wednesday with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones, Yemen’s transport ministry said. One missile landed near the runway minutes before a flight from Cairo was due to land.
A conflict flaring on several fronts
The strikes deepen a confrontation that flared in July 2026, shortly after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran unravelled. Since then the Houthis have expanded missile attacks on Saudi oil facilities and tankers, while Riyadh has answered with airstrikes in support of Yemeni government forces.
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In recent weeks the Houthis seized a wide stretch of territory in a lightning offensive, gaining more control over the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a waterway crucial for energy exports. Saudi and Yemeni forces have pressed a counteroffensive around the port city of Mokha, though it is unclear whether their advance will hold. A fragile ceasefire between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government collapsed in July.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in the Houthi attacks on Saudi airports?
Three people were killed and 36 wounded, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation. Two people died at Abha International Airport and one at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Which airports did the Houthis attack?
Abha International Airport in the southwest and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were struck on October 6 and 7. The Houthis also claimed strikes on an Aramco refinery in Rabigh and attacked Aden’s airport in Yemen.
What did the United States say about the attacks?
The US Mission in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert warning American citizens of potential drone and missile attacks, flight cancellations and airspace closures, saying the military conflict had the potential to escalate.
