Yemen’s Houthis claim new attacks on Saudi airports as conflict deepens
Houthi rebels have launched a series of ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The escalation follows recent territorial shifts in the ongoing Yemeni civil war, which has displaced over 200,000 people.
Why it matters
The intensification of cross-border attacks threatens regional stability and complicates efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
The Houthis claimed a flurry of attacks on Saudi targets on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) including firing a ballistic missile at Riyadh airport, as the group battles for territory in Yemen against government forces supported by the kingdom.
The Houthis, who control most of northwest Yemen, captured swathes of coastal land from Yemen's pro-government forces last month after the country's civil war reignited in July.
The fighting has displaced more than 2,00,000 people within the country, the United Nations said on Wednesday (October 7, 2026).
Yemen's internationally recognised government this week declared a counter-offensive and claims to have uprooted Houthi fighters from strategic areas on the Red Sea and the port city of Mocha.
But the Iran-backed Houthis say they are holding their territory, and military sources from both sides contacted by AFP have not reported any major changes on the ground.
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10 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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