Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed a fresh ballistic missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on October 8, the third airport attack claimed in four days and part of a campaign that has already left 3 people dead and 36 injured at Saudi airports.

The strike, if confirmed, follows attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport on October 6 and 7, which Saudi civil aviation authorities said caused the casualties. The authority did not identify the perpetrators or the specific nature of those attacks.

Who claimed responsibility?

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the rebels fired ballistic missiles and drones at King Khalid International Airport. Saree also claimed a wider salvo on October 5 targeting:

• King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh
• The Aramco oil facility at Rabigh on the Red Sea coast
• Abha Airport in the southwest
• King Khamis Mushayt Air Base near Abha
• Military installations in the Asir, Najran and Jizan regions

Reuters reported that the Houthis subsequently warned that all Saudi airspace, excluding the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina, could become a target for military operations.

What triggered the escalation?

The attacks are retaliation for a coalition offensive launched on October 4. Yemeni government forces and the Saudi-led coalition declared the "Dawn of Yemen" operation that day to recapture Houthi-controlled territory, opening a large-scale ground campaign.

The Houthis have answered with sustained missile and drone fire aimed at Saudi aviation infrastructure, marking a sharp escalation against commercial airports rather than solely military or energy assets.

What is verified and what is claimed?

Saudi Arabia has confirmed strikes on two airports and the resulting casualties. It has not attributed the attacks to any party. The October 8 strike on Riyadh exists only as a Houthi claim at this stage, as does the reported threat against Saudi airspace at large.

For airlines and lessors with exposure to Saudi airspace, the distinction matters. A rebel statement targeting all airspace short of Mecca and Medina, if acted upon, would extend risk well beyond the two affected airports and press insurers and operators to reassess routings across the kingdom.

With both sides escalating — a coalition ground offensive underway and Houthi fire now repeatedly reaching major commercial hubs — the trajectory points to continued pressure on Saudi aviation operations in the days ahead.