Houthi Attacks on Saudi Airports Kill Three, Injure 36 Amid Escalating Yemen War

RIYADH (Terror Monitor) — Three people were killed and 36 others injured in attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), as fighting between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces intensifies.

GACA said the two airports were targeted in separate attacks on October 6 and 7. Emergency teams and relevant authorities responded immediately, while officials began assessing damage and taking measures to protect passengers, airport employees and civil aviation facilities.

Three killed, 36 injured

At Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, two women were killed. GACA identified them as residents holding Moroccan and Algerian citizenship. Another 28 people were injured in the attack.

The injured included Saudi citizens as well as residents from Bangladesh and the Philippines. Their injuries ranged from minor to serious, according to the civil aviation authority.

A separate attack targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, where a Sudanese man was killed and eight people were injured.

The injured included five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and one Pakistani resident. All those injured were taken to hospitals for treatment, GACA said. The attacks also caused material damage to airport facilities, although the authority did not provide an estimate of the losses.

The Saudi civil aviation authority said it was coordinating with security agencies to assess the damage and implement measures aimed at maintaining the safety of passengers and employees and the continuity of civil aviation operations.

Houthis claim attacks on Saudi targets

The Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi targets amid the renewed escalation in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group had launched ballistic missiles and drones toward a number of Saudi military and strategic targets, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport.

The Houthis also claimed to have targeted a military facility in Khamis Mushait and other military positions. The group did not provide independent evidence establishing the extent of damage caused by its claimed operations.

Saudi authorities have separately confirmed casualties and damage at the two airports, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile north of Riyadh.

Fighting spreads to Aden airport

The escalation was not limited to Saudi territory.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government said the Houthis also attacked Aden International Airport, the main international air gateway for areas under government control, using missiles and drones.

According to Yemeni authorities, a missile landed near the airport runway shortly before a passenger flight from Cairo was due to land. The flight was diverted to Jeddah, while aircraft on the ground were moved away from the area amid concerns over further attacks.

Reuters reported that the Yemeni Transport Ministry said fighting had intensified around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks on Aden.

The Associated Press reported that Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had targeted a military camp near Aden airport. Aden security officials said two missiles targeted the airport area, while no casualties were initially reported there.

Saudi-backed forces launch counteroffensive

The attacks came as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces intensified military operations along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces have launched a major ground and air offensive aimed at retaking territory captured by the Houthis in recent weeks. The fighting has focused on strategic areas around the Bab el-Mandeb, including the approaches to Dhubab and the port city of Mokha.

The Bab el-Mandeb is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and providing a major route for international commercial and energy shipping.

The AP reported that Saudi-backed forces had recently recaptured several positions around the strait, while clashes continued in and around Dhubab and parts of Taiz province.

Saudi-led coalition strikes Houthi missile infrastructure

In response to the attacks, the Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa that it said had been used in preparations for an attack against Saudi Arabia.

The coalition said the platform was destroyed while preparations for an imminent attack were underway.

The latest exchanges mark a significant escalation in fighting after months of relative calm on several Yemeni fronts. The renewed conflict has increasingly involved attacks on airports, military facilities and energy infrastructure, raising concerns about the impact on civilian aviation and regional trade.

Wider regional implications

The renewed fighting is also putting pressure on Saudi Arabia’s civilian infrastructure and air links. Abha airport, located relatively close to the Yemeni border, has previously been targeted by Houthi missiles and drones during the long-running conflict.

The latest attacks, however, have caused confirmed civilian deaths at both Abha and Riyadh airports, according to Saudi authorities. The reported casualties include foreign residents from several countries, highlighting the international civilian impact of the escalation.

The attacks on Saudi and Yemeni airports come as the Houthis seek to respond to the Saudi-backed ground offensive while Riyadh and its allies attempt to reverse recent Houthi territorial gains along the Red Sea coast.

With fighting continuing around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and attacks reaching major civilian aviation facilities, the latest escalation threatens to widen the conflict beyond Yemen’s traditional battlefields and further disrupt regional transportation and trade.