Houthi Airport Strikes Kill Three in Saudi Arabia
Houthi rebels launched missile and drone attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen as Saudi-backed forces advanced in western Yemen.
Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launched ballistic missile and drone attacks on October 6 and 7 targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia, and Aden International Airport in Yemen. The strikes in Saudi Arabia killed three civilians, including two women of Moroccan and Algerian nationality and a Sudanese resident, and wounded 36 people. In Aden, a missile landed near the runway shortly before a flight from Cairo was scheduled to land, forcing the aircraft to divert to Jeddah.
Simultaneously, Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched the Dawn of Yemen operation, a counter-offensive to recapture strategic territory near the town of Mocha and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, claiming advances in the mountain belt of western Taiz. The International Organization for Migration reports that the fighting has displaced over 200,000 people.
In response to the escalation, Turkey and Pakistan pledged collective defense support under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, with Turkey providing technical and defensive assistance. The General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia is currently coordinating with security agencies to assess property damage and ensure the safety of aviation operations within the Kingdom.
