Houthis strike Saudi airports as Bab el-Mandeb battle intensifies

Houthi rebels said they struck Saudi airports, military sites and Aden with missiles and drones. The attacks deepen the battle for western Yemen and raise risks for aviation and shipping through Bab el-Mandeb.Image used for representational purposes onlyCairo,Oct 7, 2026 13:48 ISTIran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Wednesday claimed attacks on military facilities and airports in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, as fighting widened in a conflict that has put fresh pressure on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route seen as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.The Houthis also said they carried out a missile strike on Yemen's port city of Aden, the seat of the internationally recognised government. The attacks came as Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces pressed on with a major ground and air offensive to retake areas seized by the rebels along Yemen's western Red Sea coast.Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen Yahya Saree said on social media that the group launched ballistic missiles and drones at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, though he gave no evidence. Flights to and from the airport were briefly disrupted, according to Flightradar24.Saree said Abha airport, a frequent target of Houthi drones and missiles, was also targeted. He added that the rebels struck an air base in Khamis Mushait and two military bases in Najran and Asir, all in south-western Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen. Maj Gen Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis, said coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile north of Riyadh.In recent days, Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces have launched a major offensive against the Houthis in a bid to retake territory the rebels seized about a month ago along Yemen's western Red Sea coast and on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Those positions gave the Houthis better surveillance of shipping as they pursued a blockade of Saudi vessels. Officials said on Monday that forces of the Saudi-led coalition had recaptured several key areas around the strait. Since then, the fighting has centred in and around the town of Dhubab, about 54 kilometres south of the port city of Mokha, according to both the Houthis and the Yemeni government.Clashes were also reported in the district of Waziayah in south-western Taiz province, which links Yemen's mountainous highlands to the Red Sea and overlooks roads leading to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.The Houthis also said they launched a missile strike early Wednesday on Aden. An Associated Press journalist said explosions were heard around 2 am. Saree said the rebels hit a military camp near Aden airport with ballistic missiles.Security authorities in Aden said the Houthis targeted the airport with two missiles and that there were no casualties. The airport is close to the seat of government. In a statement, Aden police said, "The targeting of this vital civilian facility represents a direct threat to the safety of civilians, passengers, employees and flight crews."Yemen's Human Rights Ministry said the attack on Aden airport threatened "a humanitarian disaster", as one missile struck close to the runway shortly before the scheduled landing of a flight from Cairo. Flight 603, operated by Yemen's flagship airline, landed safely in Aden at 3:30 am, according to FlightAware.The ministry said the missile struck while other passengers were waiting to board a flight to the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah. In an analysis, the Institute for the Study of War said, "The Houthis believe that they can maximise Saudi economic costs and compel Saudi Arabia to surrender to Houthi demands by striking civilian infrastructure, such as oil facilities and airports."The latest attacks in Saudi Arabia and Aden came as fighting continued around key positions in western Yemen, underlining the wider military push by both sides and the growing risks to airports, military sites and an important shipping corridor.With PTI Inputs- Ends