Explosions echoed across Riyadh on Thursday after Yemen’s Houthi movement declared a ballistic missile strike on King Khalid International Airport, while international airlines faced renewed warnings and regional governments condemned the attacks following days of cross-border military escalation.
Explosions in Riyadh Disrupt Airport Operations
Multiple explosions rattled the Saudi capital on Thursday, prompting diplomats to take shelter inside embassies and international schools to enforce emergency protocols, according to reporting from the scene. Flight tracking data from specialized aviation monitors showed that King Khalid International Airport experienced frequent temporary airspace closures and holding patterns, making it one of the most disrupted aviation hubs globally during the recent wave of attacks. In 2015, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which currently maintains its seat in Aden, after Houthi forces seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and vast areas of northern Yemen in late 2014.
The military spokesman for the Houthi forces, Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the assault, stating in a broadcast statement that the missile hit its target precisely and disrupted airport traffic. Saree also issued a final warning to global carriers operating over Saudi airspace.
“We renew our call and warning, for the last time, to all international airlines against the consequence of continuing to operate their flights in Saudi airspace, as it has become a theater for our military operations, with the exception of the airspace of the holy sites in Mecca and Medina.”
Yahya Saree, Houthi military spokesman
Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the strike on the capital’s primary airport. Flight tracking services reported that flights heading to Riyadh circled in a holding area away from the airfield for at least thirty minutes due to the temporary halt in arrivals before normal operations resumed.
With the intensification of the fighting, the International Organization for Migration reported that displacement figures since the onset of the recent wave of fighting have surpassed 200,000 people.
Gulf Nations Condemn Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure
The Gulf Cooperation Council swiftly condemned the escalation, with Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi urging the international community to take a firm and deterrent stance against the group following earlier attacks that hit Abha and King Khalid airports, resulting in casualties. Foreign ministries from Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria issued separate statements denouncing the assaults on civilian infrastructure and affirming solidarity with Riyadh. In a formal statement released on Thursday, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the blatant Houthi assaults on the two airports as a flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a grave breach of international law and international humanitarian law. Similarly, Syria condemned the attacks in the strongest terms, targeting civilian facilities and objects, particularly Abha and King Khalid airports.
The Coalition supporting the Yemeni government reported a massive counter-offensive involving one hundred combat aircraft and naval strikes in Hodeidah. Coalition officials stated that naval forces destroyed weapon caches, explosive boat depots, and sea mines to forestall maritime attacks in the southern Red Sea, maintaining that the cross-border strikes would not go unpunished after earlier figures recorded three deaths and 36 injuries from strikes on Saudi airports earlier in the week. Following the interception of a ballistic missile north of Riyadh in the early hours of Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition announced the interception and destruction of the projectile.
On Monday, October 5, 2026, Pakistan and Turkey announced in a joint statement with Saudi Arabia that they would deploy military forces and capabilities within the Kingdom amid escalating tensions between Riyadh and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, acting under a defense agreement signed approximately two months prior.
Ground Battles in Yemen Displace 200,000 People
The aerial exchanges coincided with intensifying ground battles across Yemen as government forces pursued the Dawn of Yemen offensive, pushing into positions near Bab el-Mandeb and Taiz. Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration reported that displacement figures since the latest surge in fighting have surpassed 200,000 people. Saudi forces intensified their aerial operations while Houthi forces increased their missile and drone attacks inside Saudi territory.
