Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched missile and drone strikes targeting airports in Saudi Arabia, killing three people and injuring 36, according to Saudi authorities.
The quiet that had settled over Riyadh was shattered when missiles and drones struck King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport. International airlines responded by suspending flights to the capital, while foreign governments advised against travel to the country and diplomats reported executives leaving for Doha and the UAE. In the capital, residents heard booms and saw fires that had been absent since the regional conflict involving Iran began on February 28. At least three people were killed this week after Houthi forces struck several airports in the kingdom, according to Saudi Arabia. The details of the dead and injured reveal ordinary people from Sudan, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco, Algeria, Bangladesh, and the Philippines going about their lives, alongside injured Saudi citizens.
The capital’s business-as-usual posture faced an abrupt challenge as offices, schools, and the Expo 2030 construction site near the airport were evacuated. The kingdom is preparing to host the World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative, drawing global energy and financial executives. Security teams are currently assessing risks as the capital comes under direct fire.
The Dawn of Yemen Offensive and Territorial Battles at Bab al-Mandab
The renewed cross-border strikes follow a sharp escalation on the ground in Yemen.
The offensive, dubbed Yemen’s Dawn by government forces, centers its confrontations around the West Coast regions and the Bab al-Mandab Strait to sever supply lines and secure shipping lanes. Saudi forces have supported their allies with hundreds of airstrikes on Houthi positions. Major General Mohammed al-Samadi condemned the airport bombings as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes.
Regional Diplomacy and the Strained Security Partnership With Washington
U.S. Central Command offered only intelligence support that Saudi forces were already receiving. Speaking to CNN, International Crisis Group senior Yemen analyst Ahmed Nagi stated that Riyadh had committed multiple errors and oversights, pointing out that the kingdom failed to ready itself for a Houthi assault and lacked proper synchronization with the Yemeni local forces inherited from Abu Dhabi.
Photo: Arab Center Washington DC
Michael Ratney, the former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, noted that Riyadh’s strategy had aimed to keep the civil war distant from its borders to protect its economic transformation plans. Neither of those scenarios fix the conflict in Yemen in any near term, Ratney told CNN, The Saudis will have to just figure out an imperfect path ahead. Even though Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has worked to minimize Saudi Arabia’s involvement in regional friction—such as through the 2023 normalization of ties with Tehran brokered in Beijing—this diplomatic thaw has neither dismantled the military networks surrounding the kingdom nor stripped the Houthis of their capacity to menace Saudi territory.
Saudi Arabia Faces Houthi Attack As Tehran-GCC Meeting Is Postponed, Raising New Gulf War Fears
They just needed the conflict to stay (as) far away from them as possible without the Houthis disrupting their transformation plans.
Michael Ratney, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia
With traditional security guarantees falling short, Riyadh is attempting to repair its alliance with the United Arab Emirates. UAE forces had withdrawn from Yemen in December 2025 after Saudi accusations regarding support for the Southern Transitional Council. Meanwhile, the UK announced on September 22, 2026, that it would make an RAF Voyager tanker available to Saudi Arabia following a Saudi request for assistance with defensive operations, and Greece has operated U.S.-made Patriot missile batteries inside the kingdom. Additionally, on January 30, 2026, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency reported that the State Department had signed off on a potential procurement for Saudi Arabia encompassing as many as 730 PAC-3 MSE missiles, along with associated support and gear.
Economic Fallout and Energy Markets Shake After Pipeline Attacks
The military escalation has directly targeted the kingdom’s energy infrastructure. The Houthis struck oil facilities and pipelines, disrupting crude supplies and sending prices upward.
Photo: Defence24.com
Analyst Baraa Shiban argued on the Arab News program Frankly Speaking that military pressure and a political settlement are tightly intertwined, asserting that the militia uses territorial control to sustain its operations. Shiban noted that the Houthis revere the Iranian Islamic model, finding a strong backer in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after finding increased involvement following 2011.
The Houthis will keep getting access to weaponry, recruits and revenue as long as they have territory.
Shiban urged the international community to start supporting a unified Yemeni army and Yemeni state to reverse and make territorial gains, even if the ultimate aim is to reach a political resolution with the Houthis. He added that the group aims to sideline other factions and force Riyadh into exclusive bilateral talks. Furthermore, Abu Dhabi is pushing for enhanced backing for southern Yemeni militias that have battled the Houthis, which include the UAE-supported Southern Giants Brigades headed by Abu Zara’a al-Mahrami as well as Tareq Saleh’s National Resistance.
Political Demands and the Outlook for the Conflict
Houthi political bureau member Dhaifallah al-Shami stated that the primary objective of the current escalation is to pressure authorities to lift the blockade on Yemen. Al-Shami warned that operations would expand to include all infrastructure in the kingdom outside of Mecca and Medina if military actions against them continue.
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Political researcher Iyad al-Rifai observed that the militia lacks experience in political administration, noting that internal crises and economic collapse in Houthi-held areas stem from poor governance. Older residents in Riyadh draw comparisons to the 1991 Gulf War when Iraq launched Scud missiles, though observers note the capital’s modern status as an international hub leaves it uniquely vulnerable to disruptions in investment and tourism.
Omar El Sayed is Archyde’s World Editor, focused on international affairs, diplomacy, conflict, and cross-border political developments. He brings a global newsroom perspective to complex events and helps readers understand how regional stories connect to wider geopolitical shifts.
