Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia and Aden Airport With Missiles and Drones

Houthis Launch Missile and Drone Attacks on Saudi Arabia and Aden Airport as Yemen Fighting Intensifies

Yemen's conflict took a more intense turn on October 7, 2026 as Houthi fighters launched a series of missile and drone attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia and Yemen while Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a major counteroffensive along the Red Sea coast. The attacks on Aden International Airport were among the most serious in recent weeks, with the Houthis using ballistic missiles and drones carrying explosives against targets around the airport while Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile north of Riyadh.

Yemen's Ministry of Transport reported that at least two ballistic missiles and several drones were fired at Aden International Airport with one of the projectiles hitting the airport runway as Yemenia Airways Flight 603, en route from Egypt, was forced to divert to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to avoid the danger. Airport authorities evacuated the terminal and moved two planes away from the runway, with no deaths or injuries reported.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the attack near Aden targeted a cache of Saudi military equipment which had recently arrived at Badr Camp near the airport. The Houthis also claimed to have fired missiles and drones at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Abha Airport and military sites around Khamis Mushait, and also in the Najran and Asir regions. Casualties and damage to Saudi military storage facilities were reported by the Houthis, but these allegations have not been independently confirmed.

Saudi authorities confirmed the interception of a Houthi ballistic missile north of Riyadh while Saudi-led coalition forces also intercepted another missile bound for Khamis Mushait. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the Houthis claims regarding King Khalid International Airport, an important transportation hub which is vulnerable to attacks given the ongoing conflict. Similar uncertainty surrounds some of the other alleged damage and casualties reported by the Houthi and Saudi spokespeople.

The attacks around Aden follow reports that Saudi civil aviation authorities ordered the closure of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport after they were damaged by Houthi attacks on October 6. Three people sustained only minor injuries in the incident while flights around Riyadh were also briefly disrupted, according to tracking services, as the security situation deteriorated.

The renewed fighting is part of a larger Saudi-backed campaign against the Houthis in western Yemen. Saudi-supported Yemeni forces, backed by Saudi air power, have been trying to re-capture territory along the Red Sea coast and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Fighting has intensified around several key locations including Dhabab, Bab and Hudaydah with control of the coast and approaches to the strait becoming a new focus of the struggle.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a strategically important waterway which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden while also providing access to the Arabian Peninsula. A significant military confrontation in the area would endanger shipping and trade routes while also threatening vital energy transportation routes.

Saudi-led forces have also escalated their attacks on Houthi missile and weapons storage facilities. On October 7, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had attacked a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa and a missile storage facility in Saada. Coalition forces also struck weapons storage sites and other military facilities along Yemen's western coast. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have received significant air support from the Saudi military as they attempt to break the Houthi offensive and regain control of key facilities.

The renewed conflict has also created a mounting humanitarian crisis. United Nations figures cited in recent reports show that around 959 people have been killed, more than 4,200 injured and approximately 174,000 displaced as a result of the latest escalation in the conflict. The already strained Yemeni health care system is being pushed to its limits, with reports of a shortage of medical supplies reaching the capital, Sanaa, as the country struggles with the added challenge of a potential cholera epidemic and widespread malnutrition.

Amid the escalating regional tensions, Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have also moved to strengthen their defense cooperation. Officials from the three countries have agreed to take steps toward implementing the collective measures already outlined for Saudi Arabia’s defense and to facilitate the rapid deployment of military capabilities if required. However, any such deployment remains subject to the necessary parliamentary and constitutional procedures.

While the fighting in Yemen continues to focus on military objectives, the latest attacks have created new security challenges for Saudi Arabia and the surrounding region. The Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and airports, the diversion of a passenger flight near Aden and the intensifying conflict around Bab el-Mandeb have created new risks for civilian aviation as well as shipping and trade. However, many of the claims made by the Houthi and Saudi spokespeople must be regarded as unconfirmed until independent analysts can conduct a thorough review of the situation on the ground.

The events of October 7 represent the latest escalation in Yemen's conflict as both sides continue to demonstrate their capacity to strike at a range of military and civilian targets. Further attacks around Saudi Arabia, Aden and Bab el-Mandeb will be crucial in determining if the current confrontation will remain focused within Yemen or spread to a wider regional conflict.

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