Saudi coalition claims interception of Houthi missile aimed at Riyadh airport

What Happened

Saudi-led coalition said on Oct 26 it intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi movement aimed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Air defences destroyed the missile and knocked out two launchers in Sanaa, coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki wrote on X. The strike came a day after explosions rattled the capital and authorities warned residents of a hostile aerial threat via text alerts.

Reaction

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group successfully hit the airport with a ballistic missile and also struck oil‑pumping stations with drones. He warned the airport remained unsafe and urged airlines to avoid it, adding that “the Saudi regime shall bear the consequences of any operations at the airport.” The coalition highlighted the interception and said it continues dismantling the Houthi missile network. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and agreed to keep a Patriot air‑defence battery in Saudi Arabia, joining the Greek‑deployed system in Yanbu. On Sunday the coalition reported intercepting at least ten ballistic missiles.

Context

The airport has faced repeated Houthi attacks, including a wave earlier this month that killed 13 and injured over 300, prompting the postponement of Saudi Arabia’s flagship investment conference to 2027 and disrupting thousands of travelers. The incidents are part of a broader surge in hostilities after a years‑long truce collapsed in the summer, linking the Yemen conflict to the wider US‑Iran tensions.