Yemen’s Houthi rebels issued an urgent warning on Sunday advising international airlines, workers, and travellers to avoid Saudi airports and airspace, declaring them active operational zones vulnerable to future strikes.
The announcement exempts only the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The threat follows a devastating missile attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday that killed 12 people—including Saudi, US, Bangladeshi, and Middle Eastern nationals—and injured over 300 others. The strike marked the third attack on the capital’s aviation hub within a single week. In response, Saudi civil aviation authorities temporarily halted airport operations for safety and damage assessments.
The Houthi-run Foreign Ministry warned Riyadh that continued military intervention in Yemen would trigger harsher retaliation. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia suspended in-person classes, shifting schools to remote learning through Oct 15.
Despite heightened security tensions and a drone interception near Dammam, Saudi officials confirmed that the five-day WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh will proceed as scheduled, featuring over 70 global ministers and 300 corporate executives.
Concurrently, US President Donald Trump stated Washington is evaluating whether to join Saudi military operations against the Iran-backed group.
