Yemeni Houthi Rebels Launch Ballistic Missile And Drone Strikes Targeting Airports In Aden And Riyadh

DW News•Published: Oct 7, 2026 12:19 PM IST

Yemen's Houthi rebels launched coordinated attacks using ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones against Aden International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The strike in Aden forced an incoming Cairo flight to divert and caused aircraft on the runway to be moved, while Saudi air defenses intercepted another missile north of Riyadh.

Aden Airport Strike: A ballistic missile landed near the airport runway minutes before a commercial flight from Cairo was scheduled to land.
Riyadh Target Claim: Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed drones were launched at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Coalition Interception: The Saudi-led coalition successfully intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of Riyadh launched from Sanaa.
Red Sea Counteroffensive: The strikes occurred as Saudi-backed government forces launched a lightning offensive to retake territory along the Red Sea coast.

The Context & Background

These aggressive escalations break a fragile four-year period of relative calm in Yemen's ongoing conflict. The renewed violence follows recent territorial gains by the Houthi insurgent group along the Red Sea coast, prompting a decisive counteroffensive by government forces backed by Saudi-led air support.

Why it matters:These attacks signal a dangerous intensification of Yemen's civil war, threatening regional stability and international aviation security. The targeting of civilian transport hubs in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia highlights the growing cross-border risks and the collapse of the fragile truce.

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