Houthis Middle East crisis live: Houthis warn passengers against using Saudi airport after deadly attack on Riyadh US president Donald Trump says he is weighing whether the US will join Saudi strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis LIVE Updated 1m ago Frances Mao Sun 11 Oct 2026 09.48 BSTFirst published on Sun 11 Oct 2026 09.23 BST Share Key events 22m ago Houthis issue warning against use of Saudi airports 25m ago 12 killed at Riyadh airport and hundreds wounded in Saturday strike 27m ago Opening summary This image from video obtained and verified by AP shows thick black smoke and flames rising from a fire at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh From 22m ago The Houthis this morning have just also issued a warning to travellers and airlines against using Saudi airports following yesterday’s attack.
It’s the first public message from the group since Saturday’s deadly assault.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said airports and airspace “are exposed to targeting and constitute a theatre of operations for our forces”, he said, adding that the group was pursuing: “airport for airport, siege for siege, and escalation for escalation”.
He said the airports in Mecca and Medina – the holiest cities in Islam - were excepted.
All week the Houthis have been striking the main international airport, which was first targeted about a fortnight ago as fighting ramped up within Yemen.
The Saudi-led coalition backing the government forces in Yemen have launched an outright offensive in the country this week to try and push back the Houthis who’ve rapidly seized and gained territory these past weeks.
The Houthis have taken over islands in the Bab al- Mandab strait and also staked stronger positions along the Red Sea, crucially seizing control of the main passageway through which its enemy state – top oil exporter Saudi Arabia - had been diverting its flows as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut off.
Key events 22m ago Houthis issue warning against use of Saudi airports 25m ago 12 killed at Riyadh airport and hundreds wounded in Saturday strike 27m ago Opening summary Travellers gathered outside a metro station on the road to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, on Saturday after the missile attack As you can expect, passengers have been avoiding Saudia Arabia’s main international airport since the major attack yesterday.
King Khalid remains closed today.
It remains to be seen if operations will continue at other Saudi airports.
The Houthis earlier in the week had warned commercial airlines “for the last time” about the consequences of flying into Saudi airspace, noting it was a theatre of fighting.
Several airlines have previously suspended flights during the past month as the Iran War has expanded to this new front.
Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines had all temporarily paused their routes into Riyadh and other Saudi cities.
The Houthis this morning have just also issued a warning to travellers and airlines against using Saudi airports following yesterday’s attack.
Saturday’s attack was the third launched on the Saudi capital’s main airport this week- with the missile making it past Saudi air defences to strike terminals 3 and 4 of King Khalid airport where hundreds of passengers were awaiting domestic flights.
The attack killed at least 12 people and injured 309 at last count, say Saudi officials.
The dead include four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a US citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese.
A projectile also fell near the King Fahd international airport in Dammam, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis.
The Dammam airport has been an important alternative to Riyadh amid the recent spate of attacks.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of rapidly unfolding events in the Middle East.
After attacking Saudi Arabia’s main international airport on Saturday in strikes which killed at least 12 people and injured 309, the Houthis have issued another message this morning about the kingdom’s airports.
In response to the Houthi’s assault – the deadliest in Saudi Arabia in over a decade – US President Donald Trump has said Washington may join the Saudis in carrying out air strikes against the Iran-backed group in Yemen.
Trump said: “We may.
We’re going to look at it.
We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision.
We move very quickly.” Explore more on these topicsHouthis Saudi Arabia Middle East and north Africa Share Reuse this content Most viewed Most viewed
