Houthi Strikes Put Saudi Arabia on Edge

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition said it intercepted three missiles launched by the Houthis: one aimed at Riyadh and two at Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia. Residents of Riyadh reported explosions on Monday night after receiving a warning of an aerial threat. The Houthis said Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was their target and claimed to have sent a drone toward a military airbase near Khamis Mushait. Their spokesman warned airlines and travellers against using Saudi airports, with Mecca and Medina excepted. The attacks follow strikes over the weekend that killed at least 14 people and injured more than 300. The airport in Riyadh remains closed, and airlines have cancelled or suspended services. The Houthis have also attacked Saudi oil facilities. The violence is part of the wider conflict in Yemen, where the Houthis are fighting forces aligned with the internationally recognised government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition. The article links the escalation to regional tensions surrounding the US-Israeli war on Iran. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the attacks tested the kingdom’s resilience, while insisting that investment and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan must continue. Saudi authorities are investigating how the weekend barrage reached the airport. Officials told the Associated Press that an initial inquiry indicated drones may have been used to clear a route for cruise and ballistic missiles. Investigators are also examining why the attack was not detected sooner, given the weapons travelled more than 1,000 kilometres. US President Donald Trump criticised the Houthis but did not signal intervention. A Houthi official warned that US involvement would prompt retaliation and described Saudi airports and oil facilities as legitimate targets. The insecurity has disrupted aviation and put major Riyadh events under pressure. Etihad and Gulf Air cancelled flights, while Delta delayed a planned Atlanta–Riyadh service.

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, has vowed a “serious” response to escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom’s airports and energy infrastructure. The latest strikes have killed civilians at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, including a Pakistani resident on Sunday and 13 people in a missile attack the previous day. Other attacks have hit an airport facility and an aircraft, and Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport has also been targeted. Saudi forces say they have intercepted missiles and drones, while the Houthis claim responsibility for attacks on airports and energy facilities and warn airlines and passengers against using Saudi airspace. The violence has disrupted air travel: Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh and Dammam, Etihad has cancelled several routes, and King Khalid airport is expected to remain closed until Saturday. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis accuse one another of aggression. The Houthis say their attacks retaliate for Saudi air strikes in Yemen, including strikes they say killed a child in Sanaa; the Saudi-led coalition supports Yemeni government forces fighting the Houthis. Speaking at the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, Prince Abdul Aziz said recent events had tested Saudi infrastructure, institutions and resilience, but promised the kingdom would overcome the challenges. The attacks have drawn international condemnation. UN Secretary General António Guterres said strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law, while US President Donald Trump said he would decide whether the United States would join Saudi strikes. Iran expressed concern and called for dialogue, while denying that it supplies the Houthis with weapons or training. The article places the escalation in the context of Yemen’s civil war, which began in 2014 and intensified after the Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015. An informal ceasefire has weakened since the Houthis announced a maritime embargo and began attacks on Saudi targets. The Houthis’ advance near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and renewed fighting have compounded regional tensions and contributed to rising oil prices, especially after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed amid the US-Israeli war with Iran. Yemen’s government has announced a new offensive to retake Houthi-held territory.

The live report describes escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia amid the wider war involving Iran and the United States. A Houthi official warned that the group would respond “swift and painful[ly]” if the U.S. joined Saudi Arabia’s offensive in Yemen, a possibility President Trump said he was considering. The attacks have killed at least 20 people, including a U.S. national, and contributed to a rise in oil prices; Brent crude climbed above $105 a barrel, its highest level in two weeks. Saudi Arabia’s military coalition said it planned to issue an evacuation warning for a site in Houthi-held Sanaa ahead of a targeted operation. The coalition also reported intercepting three drones north of Riyadh. Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia’s public missile-warning system had stopped working shortly before the recent attacks. Saudi authorities are investigating how air defenses failed to stop several missile and drone barrages, including a strike at King Khalid International Airport that reportedly killed 13 people. Other developments reflect the broader regional strain. Trump said he did not believe China or Russia were helping Iran, while acknowledging that any such support would be at a low level. Iran said it had reached an understanding with Oman on a temporary shipping route between the two countries, separate from the Strait of Hormuz. Egypt called for Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia to stop and urged diplomacy to prevent further escalation between Iran and the U.S. Houthi media reported additional Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, which Saudi Arabia did not confirm. Iran’s government also acknowledged mounting economic pressure after seven and a half months of war, citing scarce foreign currency, limits on some imports, and efforts to curb fuel consumption and petrol imports.

The article reports that Iran is strengthening defenses at sensitive sites, including nuclear facilities, and preparing its population for the possibility of renewed U.S. attacks after the November 3 midterm elections. According to The Wall Street Journal, Iranian officials have warned regional counterparts that any new U.S. strikes would prompt retaliation across the Middle East. The reported preparations include public rallies, paramilitaries reading war stories to children, and advertisements for training in firing defensive missiles. President Donald Trump said U.S. forces would not attack Iran before the midterms. Neither the Iranian nor U.S. government immediately commented on the Journal’s report. The article also describes escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh. The Iran-backed Yemeni group had reportedly launched multiple strikes on the Saudi capital since the previous week, targeting energy facilities and airports. One airport attack caused several deaths, including a Saudia pilot. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport remained closed through Saturday, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration advised airlines to use caution near Saudi Arabia. A final section concerns an alleged threat to RAF Fairford, a British air force base used by the U.S. Air Force for strikes on Iranian missile sites. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said an attempted attack on an English air base was almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he had summoned Iran’s ambassador and warned that Britain would not tolerate threats on its soil. British police arrested five men in September over suspected terrorism offenses related to the alleged threat. Trump said the United States had moved its long-range bombers out of the U.K. in response to a threat.

The article reports a sharp escalation in fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Houthis said Saudi forces carried out overnight airstrikes in several parts of Yemen, including Kamaran island, Qanawis, Jawf and Saada, where the rebels also claimed to have shot down a Saudi drone. The reported strikes followed air-raid sirens and explosions in Riyadh, which has faced repeated Houthi attacks in recent days. The conflict is rooted in Yemen’s civil war, in which Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015 to lead a coalition against the Iran-backed Houthis. Recent rebel attacks have targeted King Khalid International Airport and other Saudi infrastructure; one attack on Saturday killed 13 people, described as the deadliest in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. Egypt’s foreign minister condemned the Houthi attacks in a call with Iran’s foreign minister. The article also examines the economic and regional consequences. It says Houthi activity has intensified amid the US-Israeli war on Iran and has targeted oil and transport infrastructure. The International Monetary Fund estimates Saudi GDP will contract 3.3% year on year, citing the combined effects of disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi actions in the Red Sea, including attacks on refineries and tankers. Saudi Arabia redirected oil exports away from Hormuz using pipelines and Red Sea access, but those routes have also been affected. Saudi Arabia has sought assistance from Washington, and President Donald Trump has publicly considered joining the fight. The Houthis warned that US interests in the region could be targeted if the United States intervenes. Meanwhile, Saudi authorities have stopped issuing air-raid alerts despite reports of deaths and injuries. Analysts say the change may be intended to prevent public panic but could deepen uncertainty. The government has also reminded residents not to share images of attacks or interceptions, while former US ambassador Michael Ratney said the authorities’ messaging may have increased public unease.

France’s embassy in Saudi Arabia advised French citizens on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, not to travel to or transit through the airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, and to avoid visiting those cities unless necessary. The warning followed a series of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi airports and oil facilities, amid escalating fighting with the Saudi-led coalition. The embassy specifically named King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, and King Fahd Airport in Dammam. Riyadh’s airport remained closed after a deadly missile strike on Saturday that the Houthis claimed. The attacks have disrupted air travel in Saudi Arabia and are described as part of a spillover from the wider regional confrontation between the United States and Iran. The article says Saudi Arabia has recently conducted strikes against the Houthis and is supporting a Yemeni government counteroffensive after the group seized strategic territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast last month. On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition called on civilians to evacuate the Yemen Oil Company’s Sabah central station in Sanaa ahead of a planned military operation, identifying the location on a map and citing civilian safety. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree warned that strikes on Sanaa would prompt a “harsh and painful” response in Riyadh. The Houthis also told employees and civilians near Saudi Aramco oil facilities to evacuate and stay away, declaring the facilities legitimate targets. The report presents the embassy warning and the escalating military and security developments without advocating a particular position.

The Saudi-led coalition called on civilians to evacuate the Yemen Oil Company’s Sabah central station in Sanaa on Oct 13, ahead of a planned military operation. Its joint forces command identified the facility on a map and said people should leave for their safety. The warning came amid escalating exchanges between the coalition and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned that strikes on Sanaa would prompt a “harsh and painful” response in Riyadh. The Houthis also told employees and civilians near Saudi Aramco oil facilities to evacuate, describing those sites as legitimate targets. The article links the escalation to a wider regional conflict involving the United States and Iran. It says the Houthis have attacked Saudi airports and oil facilities since the previous week, while Saudi Arabia has recently carried out strikes against the Houthis and supported a Yemeni government counter-offensive. That offensive followed the Houthis’ seizure of strategic territory along the Red Sea coast in September. The fighting has disrupted air travel in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh airport remained closed after a deadly missile strike on Saturday that the Houthis claimed. The coalition’s evacuation order and the Houthis’ reciprocal warnings reflect the risk to civilians and facilities as the conflict intensifies.

The supplied page is a live-news headline listing dated October 13, 2026, rather than a full article: it contains no detailed reports, quotations beyond one headline attribution, or supporting context. Its lead headline says Yemen’s Houthis threatened a “painful” response to any attack on Sanaa following a coalition warning. Other listed updates say the Houthis warned employees and civilians near Saudi Aramco facilities to evacuate, and that Saudi Arabia intercepted three drones heading toward Riyadh. The headlines also mention Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telling the Saudi Crown Prince that the Houthi challenge would be overcome, and Qatar’s Emir saying the country would defend its sovereignty without being drawn into war. The page’s other headlines broaden the picture to regional and international security concerns. They include an accusation that Iran is waging a “systematic campaign” against the UK; Etihad extending cancellations of Riyadh flights until October 19; and reports about a possible US role in Saudi strikes following an attack on Riyadh airport. Video titles refer to missile-strike footage, comments by Saudi officials and US President Donald Trump, missing Indian seafarers after a drone attack in the Gulf of Oman, and a US military action against a cargo ship said to have breached an Iran blockade. An IMF-related video headline warns of economic risks if Gulf recovery depends on the Strait of Hormuz. Taken together, the listed items portray a tense regional situation involving drone and missile threats, possible military escalation, travel disruption, and economic uncertainty. However, because the provided content consists almost entirely of headlines and video titles, it does not establish the underlying facts, sequence of events, or the parties’ fuller positions. The summary therefore reflects only what the page’s supplied headlines state.

This page is presented as a live Middle East news update dated October 13, 2026. Its main headline reports that a Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at a southern city. The accompanying headline list also says the Houthis claimed a ballistic missile strike on Riyadh airport, Etihad extended cancellations of Riyadh flights through October 19, and a tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the UK maritime agency. Other listed developments include a condemnation of Iran by the United States, Britain, France and 26 other countries over alleged attacks, and an IMF reduction to its 2026 growth forecasts for Gulf economies. The page includes additional video and update teasers concerning victims of Houthi attacks on Riyadh, footage of a missile strike at Riyadh airport, remarks by a Saudi minister, missing Indian seafarers after a drone attack in the Gulf of Oman, and US military action against a cargo ship said to have breached an Iran blockade. Further teasers refer to President Donald Trump considering participation in Saudi strikes, comments about Iran, Israel’s military line in Syria, aircraft moved from a UK base, and Yemeni forces’ claim to control the Bab Al Mandeb strait. The supplied page text contains no full article paragraphs or detailed reporting behind these headlines. It therefore establishes the range of reported regional security, diplomatic, aviation and economic developments, but does not provide enough information to verify details, explain the events, or describe responses beyond the wording of the teasers.

Riyadh’s daily activity has continued despite deadly Houthi attacks on the city’s airport, but the strikes have significantly disrupted air travel and prompted schools to move online. King Khalid International Airport is closed until midnight on October 17 after attacks on Saturday and Sunday killed 14 people in total and injured more than 300. The closure is one of the most serious disruptions to Saudi aviation in years, amid wider regional conflict and rising fuel costs. Residents told The National that traffic remains heavy and many offices are open, although some employers have offered remote work and people near the airport heard explosions. Several public events are still expected to proceed, and a Saudi Clasico football match drew about 22,800 spectators. The Misk Global Forum, however, has been cancelled because of organisational and logistical challenges. Schools in Riyadh have been directed to use remote learning for a week, the second such move in less than a month. The Houthis have warned of further attacks, and both sides have reported missile activity near the capital. Saudi Arabia has vowed to respond, while US President Donald Trump condemned the attacks and said Washington is considering joining Saudi strikes against the militants. The airport closure has forced travellers to improvise: one resident drove to Dammam, flew to Jeddah and continued to Paris. Another resident raised concerns about a gap in public warning messages, saying alerts had resumed only on Monday after he had received none since September 19. Authorities later urged residents to update their phone operating systems to ensure they receive warnings. The article describes a city balancing outward normality with disruption and uncertainty as the threat of further attacks—and a broader conflict involving the US—remains.

According to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking Saudi Arabia’s approval for Israel to join a military campaign against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The United States is reportedly mediating between Israel and Saudi Arabia. A diplomatic source cited by Haaretz said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opposes Israeli participation, concerned that it could provoke a public backlash in the kingdom. Another source said Netanyahu’s proposal may also be intended to improve relations with Riyadh and prepare the ground for a future normalisation agreement. The diplomatic effort faces longstanding obstacles. US President Donald Trump has advocated normalising Saudi-Israeli relations under the Abraham Accords, and a deal appeared close in 2023. That prospect was derailed by Hamas’s October 7 attack and the ensuing war in Gaza. Saudi Arabia has said it will not normalise relations without substantial progress toward establishing a Palestinian state, while Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood. The reported initiative comes amid an escalation in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. The article reports that a ballistic missile strike on Saturday killed at least 12 people and injured 309; an attack on Sunday killed one person and wounded another. Netanyahu condemned Saturday’s airport attack as a “horrific terrorist attack” and expressed condolences to the victims’ families on Israel’s behalf. Houthi attacks have also targeted Saudi airports and oil installations. The conflict has heightened concerns about regional security and the safety of important shipping routes, particularly the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which a significant share of global trade passes. The article concludes that Israeli involvement could complicate Riyadh’s position, given domestic opposition to closer ties with Israel and the unresolved Palestinian issue. Saudi approval remains a major obstacle to Netanyahu’s reported effort.

The supplied text is only a headline, byline, and opening sentence, not the full article, so a comprehensive 200–400-word summary cannot be produced without inventing information. The headline frames Saudi Arabia as facing the costs of a U.S. war on Iran after Houthi strikes on Riyadh, and poses a strategic question: should Saudi Arabia fight the Houthis to secure a win or pursue peace? The opening says that, for weeks, Saudi Arabia has promoted the attendance of prominent business leaders—including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and BlackRock’s Larry Fink—at lavish investment conferences in Riyadh. Those events are presented as a showcase for the country’s economic potential despite regional war. The excerpt therefore juxtaposes Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract investment and project economic confidence with a worsening regional conflict and difficult security choices. It does not provide the article’s reporting, evidence, or answer to the question in the headline.

The National’s editorial argues that escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthis on Saudi Arabia demonstrate the need for stronger collective security and cooperation among Gulf and Arab states. It cites diplomatic adviser Dr Anwar Gargash’s call for stronger Gulf defence and says the attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport impose human costs while threatening the region’s wider prosperity. Because Gulf economies depend on shared transport links, energy infrastructure, shipping routes and investor confidence, disruption in one country can affect airlines, businesses, investors and neighbouring economies. Aviation is especially exposed: the Gulf’s role as a hub connecting Europe, Asia and Africa relies on dependable routes, and attacks can force rerouting, raise costs and undermine tourism, trade and international connections. The editorial also stresses environmental risks. Damage to oil facilities, tankers or other energy infrastructure could cause pollution that crosses borders, with particularly grave consequences in the already pressured marine environment and the confined Strait of Hormuz. It proposes joint environmental response arrangements and plans to protect critical infrastructure as practical ways to improve resilience. Such cooperation, the article cautions, need not require Gulf countries to abandon national priorities or settle every disagreement. Rather, it should build on longstanding social ties and acknowledge that economic interdependence creates both shared prosperity and a need for common responses to threats. The editorial concludes that ideological actors’ attacks may ultimately encourage Arab neighbours to align their approaches to regional challenges.

The supplied content does not include the liveblog’s 23 updates or any substantive article text. It consists of the headline, “Iran war live: Trump says Houthis ‘misbehaving’ as Riyadh flights halted,” followed by website advertising and an alert prompt. The headline indicates that the liveblog concerns the US-Israel war on Iran and highlights two developments: Donald Trump’s comment that the Houthis were “misbehaving,” and flights being halted in Riyadh. The provided material does not explain what prompted Trump’s remark, which flights were halted, how long the disruption lasted, or whether the two events were connected. It also contains no reporting, quotes beyond the headline, or additional context from which to assess the developments. Accordingly, a fuller summary of the article and its 23 updates cannot be produced without the missing text. The available headline frames the content as a developing news story, while the body supplied here is limited to advertising and a notification prompt.

The report says Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo waved a scarf bearing the Saudi flag after Al Nassr won an AFC Champions League match. The match had been delayed following a missile alert in Riyadh. The article links the alert to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi fighters, stating that they have targeted the Saudi capital and hit the international airport. It does not provide further details about the timing or nature of the airport strike, the missile alert, or any damage or injuries. Nor does it identify the opponent, give the match score, or explain how long play was delayed. The report’s focus is the contrast between the interruption caused by a security alert and Ronaldo’s post-match gesture with the Saudi-flag scarf. The provided text presents these points briefly and factually; it offers no direct comment from Ronaldo, Al Nassr, officials, or the Houthis, and does not describe the broader security situation. The event is dated 13 October 2026, according to the publication information included with the article. Overall, the report conveys that a football match in Riyadh was affected by a missile alert amid Houthi attacks, and that Ronaldo displayed a Saudi national symbol after his team’s victory.