Saudi Arabia reported a fresh wave of incoming aerial attacks on Monday, prompting authorities to maintain the temporary closure of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh following a fatal Houthi missile strike on a departure terminal over the weekend.
The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemeni government forces reported detecting incoming drones and ballistic missiles, though military authorities have not confirmed whether the projectiles were intercepted.
The latest offensive marks a sharp escalation by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has launched repeated strikes on Saudi infrastructure and commercial airports as the conflict spills over from broader regional tensions involving Iran and the United States.
The Houthi attacks have forced the partial closure of Saudi airspace and suspended operations at Riyadh International Airport, clearing the skies over the capital even as the city hosts a major international energy conference.
The strikes place Saudi Arabia in a precarious strategic position, coming after the kingdom launched military operations in Yemen to clear Houthi forces from the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait and halt the group’s rapid territorial advances in September.
According to Yemeni military sources, counter-offensives aimed at pressuring Houthi forces may require extended time to yield strategic results. While Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have achieved localized gains near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, their advances continue to lag behind on several other active fronts across the country.
Backstory…
The fresh missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia come just days after a series of deadly strikes targeted airports in Riyadh and Abha, killing several people and injuring dozens more.
On October 7, 2026, attacks claimed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed three people across the two airports, while a subsequent strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 8 killed three Saudi nationals, including an airline pilot.
The attacks continued on October 10, when another strike on Riyadh airport caused further casualties and forced authorities to suspend operations.
Read Also: War Crisis-Saudi Arabia threatens retaliatory attacks against Iran
