Three killed as Houthi missiles strike Saudi airports and disrupt flights

Three people were killed and 36 injured in a series of Houthi missile attacks on Saudi airports. On Thursday the group launched ballistic missiles toward Riyadh and Khamis Mushait; Saudi civil defence said debris from an intercepted missile fell on a kindergarten and a medical clinic in Riyadh, causing material damage but no casualties. The Saudi‑led coalition reported destroying two missiles aimed at Riyadh and one aimed at Khamis Mushait, and later said it had hit 82 Houthi targets in four Yemeni provinces and a launch platform in Sanaa. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the strike hit King Khalid International Airport, where smoke rose from an empty aircraft and passengers were evacuated; flights were halted and the airport closed for about an hour and a half. In the preceding two days attacks on King Khalid and Abha airports killed two people and injured 28 at Abha, and one person and eight injured at King Khalid. Several Indian airlines suspended or rerouted flights to Riyadh, with Air India Express cancelling services until Oct 10 and offering refunds, Akasa Air cancelling its Oct 8 flights, and IndiGo diverting or cancelling multiple Riyadh routes. The United States has offered intelligence support, while Turkey and Pakistan are discussing possible defensive assistance.

Context

The Houthi group has stepped up missile strikes as it gains ground along Yemen’s western coast and near the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, a key shipping lane. Repeated attacks on Saudi air and oil sites aim to pressure the kingdom and its allies, raising regional security concerns.