Houthis claim new Riyadh airport strike after earlier attacks killed three

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Thursday, October 8, that they had attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile, renewing threats to international aviation after earlier Saudi airport attacks killed three people. RTÉ reported no immediate Saudi confirmation of the latest claim, leaving its impact and any disruption unconfirmed.

The new development since NewsJaws’ report on the earlier Saudi airport attacks is Thursday’s separately announced missile claim. The three deaths and 36 injuries reported by Saudi aviation authorities relate to attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday, rather than an established toll from the latest claimed strike.

What is known about the latest Riyadh claim

After announcing the attack, the Houthis repeated their warning to international airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, using the words “for the last time”, according to RTÉ. That warning is a statement by the armed group; it does not establish an official airspace closure or show that airlines have stopped operating.

There was no independently confirmed account of Thursday’s missile impact, casualties or damage in that report. The absence of immediate Saudi confirmation also leaves the airport’s operational status unresolved: earlier interruptions cannot establish whether flights were affected by the newly claimed attack.

Earlier attacks killed three at Saudi airports

The National reported that the eight people injured in Riyadh included five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and a Pakistani resident. The authority described injuries across the attacks as ranging from minor to serious and said there was some material damage, which was being assessed.

Arab News reported that injured people were transferred immediately to hospital and that some injuries at Abha were severe. Saudi aviation authorities said they would take necessary measures to protect passengers and workers and maintain civil aviation safety; the account did not detail a completed new security programme.

Flight disruption extended to Yemen

The National attributed to Flightradar24 a halt in Riyadh airport flights lasting more than an hour on Wednesday morning, following a suspension of several hours on Tuesday. Those observations concern the earlier attacks. The US embassy in Riyadh separately urged “heightened vigilance” and warned that the conflict could cause flight cancellations.

In Yemen, the Transport Ministry said an attack near Aden International Airport on Wednesday forced Yemenia flight 603 from Cairo to divert to Jeddah. A missile landed near the runway shortly before the aircraft was due to arrive, according to the ministry’s account reported by The National.

The ministry said passengers and airport staff were evacuated and two aircraft were moved away from danger. No casualties were reported following the Aden attack. The Houthis claimed they had targeted Saudi military supplies at Badr camp near the airport, but their claims of casualties among Saudi officers could not be independently verified.

Yemen counteroffensive claims remain disputed

The airport attacks come amid renewed fighting in Yemen. RTÉ reported that the civil war reignited in July and that the United Nations said on Wednesday more than 200,000 people had been displaced within the country.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government announced a major counteroffensive this week, claiming gains along the Red Sea and around the port city of Mocha. The Houthis disputed territorial losses. RTÉ said military sources had not reported major changes on the ground.

The Saudi-led coalition blamed Houthi fighters for the earlier airport attacks and said it had retaliated against 82 military targets, including missile facilities, command centres and communications systems. Those results remain coalition claims. RTÉ said battlefield accounts were impossible to verify independently because events were moving quickly and access for journalists was difficult.