Escalating Yemen Conflict as Houthi Strikes Target Saudi Airports and Spark Regional Fears

A large plume of black smoke rises from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 19, 2026. Saudi Arabia has vowed to firmly retaliate against an attack on Riyadh’s international airport, which left at least 12 people dead, with US President Donald Trump calling the attack terrible. The Saudi-led military coalition on Sunday blamed Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group for Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport, describing it as a full-fledged war crime.

The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the latest strike. However, on Sunday, the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, renewed their warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom bore responsibility for failed interceptions. The attack comes amid escalating fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces following the collapse of a UN-brokered ceasefire largely in place since 2022.

Dania Thafer, executive director at the Gulf International Forum, said Saudi Arabia will likely hit back at the Houthis pretty hard. According to Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority, the attack struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, wounding at least 309 others, some of them critically. Airport operations were suspended, with flights cancelled or diverted, and schools across Riyadh were ordered to switch to remote learning for a week following the attack.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have launched a series of missile and drone attacks targeting airports, military installations, and oil facilities across Saudi Arabia. The Houthis also claimed to have targeted an Aramco oil refinery in Rabigh, on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, with missiles and drones. Yasmeen Al Eryani, the executive director for knowledge production at Sanaa Center, noted that the Houthis are trying to put maximum pressure on Saudi Arabia while mobilising the internal front lines.

The attack has drawn condemnation from the US and the United Nations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that an American was among those killed and condemned the attacks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned Saturday’s strike, stressing that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has left open the possibility of US military involvement, stating that Washington may look into the situation after describing the attack as not acceptable.