Saudi Energy Minister says attacks testing infrastructure, vows response
Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister has vowed a serious response following deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport. The attacks have tested the kingdom's infrastructure and resilience, prompting a re-evaluation of national security.
Why it matters
As a major global oil exporter, threats to Saudi infrastructure have significant implications for global energy markets.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister acknowledged on Monday (October 12, 2026) that the kingdom's infrastructure and resilience had been tested, as he vowed a firm response following a wave of deadly attacks by Yemen's Houthis.
The Houthi attacks over the weekend marked a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where Saudi Arabia has long supported the internationally recognised government.
On Sunday (October 11, 2026), a strike hit Riyadh's international airport, killing one person, just hours after another Houthi-claimed attack on the site killed 13 people and left hundreds of others wounded, forcing authorities to suspend operations there.
The attacks on Saudi Arabia, a regional powerhouse and the world's top oil exporter which has poured billions of dollars into its military, were the deadliest to hit the kingdom in a decade.
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