Houthis Claim Riyadh Airport Attack, Threaten Saudi Airspace

Saudi Arabia said Houthi attacks on Najran and Jizan airports on October 5 caused material damage and lightly injured three people. Yemen’s internationally recognised government said missiles and drones struck Aden International Airport, with one landing near the runway and a Cairo-bound flight diverted to Jeddah; the Houthis said they were targeting nearby military supplies. Saudi authorities later said attacks on Abha and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 6 and 7 killed three people and injured 36; the Houthis claimed responsibility, and the group warned international airlines against flying through Saudi airspace. The U.S. mission in Saudi Arabia urged heightened vigilance, while Saudi-led coalition forces said they intercepted a missile and struck 82 Houthi targets in Yemen as Saudi-backed government forces pushed to retake territory. The escalation raised concerns about regional air travel, shipping and energy trade; UN figures cited in reports said more than 200,000 people had been displaced inside Yemen.