Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Intensify
Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi group continue to deteriorate. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified, reaching airports and causing fatalities.
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said at least three Saudi nationals were killed in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Several other people were injured in the attacks, which were claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi group.
In a statement on social media platform X, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said the first attack targeted airport facilities and the second struck a commercial aircraft operated by the national carrier, Saudia Airlines, Reuters and AFP reported on Friday (9 October 2026.
“The attacks resulted in the deaths of three Saudi nationals,” the authority said.
The statement added that several people had been injured, with injuries ranging from minor to serious. The attacks, which took place on Thursday (8 October) local time, also caused material damage.
In a separate statement, Saudia Airlines said one of its pilots had been killed in the attack on King Khalid International Airport. The airline also confirmed that one of its aircraft had been damaged.
“It is with profound sadness that Saudia announces the passing of Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami,” the airline said.
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority added that airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal.
The authority did not directly identify the source of the attack on King Khalid International Airport.
The Houthis had earlier said their forces attacked the Riyadh airport using two cruise missiles. They also claimed to have attacked another airport in the city of Najran, in south-western Saudi Arabia. The claims have not been confirmed by authorities in Riyadh.
The Yemen-based group also claimed to have attacked a Saudi air base in the Khamis Mushait area with a ballistic missile.
The Houthis said they were targeting Saudi Arabia in response to Riyadh’s support for Yemeni government forces, as fighting has flared again in recent weeks.
Aircraft severely damaged
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the Iran-backed group had launched two missiles at Riyadh airport, one at the airport in Najran and another at the air base in Khamis Mushait, AFP reported on Friday (9 October 2026).
Meanwhile, two sources said an aircraft had been severely damaged at Riyadh airport, several hours after a number of explosions were heard in the Saudi capital.
One source said at least one aircraft was very badly damaged, while the second said three aircraft had been hit.
Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency said shrapnel from intercepted missiles damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh. The report came after explosions shook the Saudi capital.
“Missile fragments fell in Riyadh after a ballistic missile was intercepted, causing material damage to a kindergarten complex and a medical clinic,” the Saudi Civil Defence agency said in a statement posted on X, AFP reported on Thursday (8 October 2026).
The agency did not say whether there had been any casualties.
Houthis warn Pakistan and Türkiye against involvement
The Yemen-based Houthi group warned Pakistan and Türkiye not to take part in the Saudi-led military operation against the Iran-backed group.
The warning was issued by Hizam Al-Asad, a member of the Houthi political bureau, in comments to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Middle East Monitor reported on Friday (9 October 2026).
“We hope the governments of Pakistan and Türkiye will refrain from participating in the aggression by the Saudi enemy and the siege of our country, which has lasted for more than 11 years and caused tens of thousands of deaths,” Al-Asad said.
The Houthis issued the warning after Türkiye and Pakistan decided on Monday (5 October) to move towards the practical implementation of their mutual defence commitments under the Mecca Defence Pact, including the rapid deployment of forces and military assets to Saudi Arabia.
The pact, officially known as the Mecca Mutual Defence Agreement, is a trilateral collective security agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye on 7 August 2026.
Fighting in Yemen, which flared up again in July, has intensified since government forces launched the “Dawn of Yemen” military operation to retake territory controlled by the Houthis.
The Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemeni government forces with air strikes against Houthi targets in the country.
The latest military operation in Yemen marks a dangerous turning point, threatening fragile de-escalation efforts and potentially drawing the region into a situation with unpredictable consequences.
As the Mecca Defence Pact moves towards practical implementation to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defences with support from Pakistan and Türkiye, the Houthis have responded by intensifying missile and drone attacks deep inside Saudi territory, targeting vital infrastructure.