Photo :AI-generated.

October 10, 2026

Andrew Campbell 

Iran-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Abha and King Khalid international airports on October 8, 2026. At least three foreign nationals were killed, according to Saudi authorities, as fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces intensified.

The Houthis have cautioned aviation companies not to use Saudi airspace in recent days. The Houthis claim that any aircraft flying in the kingdom's airspace—aside from those over the sacred towns of Mecca and Medina—are their targets. They stated on October 8, 2026, advising employees, engineers, and workers at Saudi oil facilities to stay away from areas that might be targeted in future attacks.

Two civilian airports, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Najran Airport close to the southern Saudi-Yemeni border, as well as the King Khalid Air Base of the Royal Saudi Air Force, were the targets of a fresh round of attacks on October 8, 2026, by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

In response, Saudi Arabia has supported Yemeni government forces and launched airstrikes. As part of the "Dawn of Yemen" operation, Yemen's government forces retaliated by carrying out 2,103 attacks against Houthi military targets. Yemen’s government forces claimed that 1,860 Houthi members were "neutralized."