A Houthi missile attack on Riyadh Airport on Thursday resulted in the deaths of three individuals, as reported by Saudi authorities on Friday. This incident marks a significant escalation in hostilities, with the Houthi group from Yemen intensifying rocket attacks on the kingdom amidst a broader conflict involving the United States and Iran.
The assault not only caused fatalities but also injured several others and damaged a Saudia Airlines aircraft, generating smoke plumes over the airport. Consequently, numerous airlines canceled flights to the Saudi capital just days before it was set to host an important gathering of global oil company leaders.
WATCH: Footage confirms a Houthi strike hit a stationary aircraft at Riyadh Airport, Saudi Arabia. https://t.co/0FLJXDyA4U— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 8, 2026
In retaliation, Saudi airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa overnight, as officials from the group and affiliated media reported. These actions are part of a larger air campaign aimed at countering recent territorial gains by the Iranian-aligned Houthis, as well as threats to international maritime transport and attacks against Saudi Arabia.
A Saudi-led coalition, supporting the Yemeni government forces, claimed to have destroyed three Houthi rocket launch platforms and warned of a strong response to attacks against civilians.
The Houthis, who have besieged Yemeni government forces in Taiz, Yemen’s third largest city, are also attempting to hold their ground along the Red Sea coast amid a sustained Saudi offensive. Earlier this week, they had already killed three individuals in attacks on airports in the kingdom.
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority announced that air traffic at Riyadh’s airport has returned to normal, with flight tracking website flightradar24 showing a gradual resumption of flights, including those from Middle Eastern airlines.
Saudia Airlines confirmed that one of the casualties from Thursday’s attack was one of its employees.
Critical Fighting in Yemen
The civil war in Yemen has rapidly evolved into a pivotal front in a broader regional conflict, sparked by the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that began on February 28.
This conflict has significant implications for global energy markets, as Houthi forces attack vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern gateway to it, further reducing oil supply from the Gulf, especially as Iran partially blocks the Strait of Hormuz.
Last month, the Houthis made significant advances along the Yemeni Red Sea coast, aiming to take full control of the region around the strait, prompting Saudi Arabia to reengage in a long-dormant conflict and support a government counteroffensive.
On Monday, government forces reclaimed territory around the coast of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait following intense Saudi airstrikes, with fighting continuing in that area.
However, the Houthis have also managed to disrupt a vital roadway linking Taiz—a city with a population of over half a million and a garrison of thousands of pro-government fighters—to the mountainous areas they have advanced into.
The group has repeatedly announced ballistic missile launches against Saudi Arabia, declaring intentions to close Saudi airspace and warning employees at oil facilities of imminent attacks.
