Houthi Airport Strikes Spark Deadly Saudi Airstrikes in Yemen

The Houthi group and a Saudi-led coalition engaged in a series of deadly missile and drone exchanges between October 11 and 12, 2026, marking a significant breakdown of a 2022 UN-brokered truce. The escalation began with a lethal Houthi strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, which killed at least 12 people and wounded over 300. Subsequent attacks targeted the same airport, King Fahd International Airport near Dammam, and Aramco energy facilities. The death toll at King Khalid International Airport later rose to at least 14, prompting Saudi authorities to extend the airport's closure and launch a probe into air defense failures.

In response, the Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes across Yemen, targeting Sanaa International Airport, the province of Taiz, and al-Jawf. Houthi-run officials reported that strikes in Sanaa and al-Jawf killed between 10 and 19 people, including women and children. The attacks forced Riyadh to shift schools and financial district businesses to remote operations.

Regional volatility extended to the Strait of Hormuz, where a drone strike on the MT Petro Dolphin left two Indian seafarers missing. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran offered to mediate the conflict, claiming the war serves Israeli interests, United Arab Emirates diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash called for joint Gulf action against Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he is considering joining the Saudi strikes as Saudi-supported forces advance in a counteroffensive near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.