Houthi Strikes on Riyadh Airport Kill Three as War Escalates

World 10:37 AM - 2026-10-10

Three people were killed and several others injured in attacks on Riyadh airport.

Three people were killed and several others injured in attacks on Riyadh airport on Thursday, Saudi authorities said on Friday, as Yemen’s Houthi group intensified missile strikes against the kingdom amid an escalating conflict linked to the US-Iran war.

The attacks damaged a Saudia Airlines aircraft and sent smoke billowing over the airport, prompting several airlines to cancel flights to the Saudi capital just days before it is due to host a major gathering of global oil industry leaders.

Saudi airstrikes hit Houthi targets in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, overnight, Houthi officials and affiliated media reported. The strikes formed part of an intensifying air campaign against the Iran-aligned group, aimed at reversing its recent territorial advances, countering threats to international shipping and stopping attacks on Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government said it had destroyed three missile-launch platforms used by the Houthis and warned that attacks on civilians would prompt a firm response.

The Houthis, who have encircled government forces in Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, and are attempting to hold positions along the Red Sea coast against a Saudi-backed offensive, had already killed three people in attacks on airports in the kingdom earlier this week.

Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said air traffic at Riyadh airport had returned to normal. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed flights gradually resuming, including services operated by some Middle Eastern airlines.

Saudia Airlines confirmed that one of those killed on Thursday was its employee.

Conflict Raises Concerns Over Global Energy Supplies

The conflict has significant implications for global energy markets, with the Houthis targeting shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, its southern gateway, while Iran’s partial restriction of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has further disrupted Gulf oil supplies.

Last month, the Houthis launched a rapid advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, taking control of the coastline around the strait. The move prompted Saudi Arabia to re-engage in the long-running conflict and support a government counteroffensive.

On Monday, government forces recaptured territory along the Bab el-Mandeb coast following intense Saudi airstrikes, with fighting continuing in the area.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, who has overseen the kingdom’s engagement in the country for more than a decade, said in a social media post on Friday that the Bab el-Mandeb area had been cleared of Houthi forces.

The Houthis have also cut off a key road linking Taiz, a city of more than half a million people and home to thousands of pro-government fighters, as they advanced through mountainous districts.

The group has announced repeated waves of ballistic missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, threatening to close the kingdom’s airspace and warning that oil facilities would also be targeted.

On Friday, the Houthis reiterated their threats against aircraft flying over Saudi Arabia, excluding those above the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina. They described Saudi airspace as an operational zone for their missile forces.

Airlines Suspend Flights As Security Warnings Widen

Although some regional airlines continued operating through Riyadh, many carriers had suspended services. Flightradar24 reported widespread cancellations and delays.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it was expanding the area covered by its advice against flying, citing the recent attacks on Riyadh airport and the risks to civil aviation. Aviation risk-monitoring organisation OPSGROUP also advised against flying over Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in the United Arab Emirates urged American citizens to exercise increased vigilance, citing Houthi attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia and warning that the hostilities could escalate rapidly.

Source: Reuters



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