Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Explained: Why the Yemen War Has Reached Riyadh and What the Houthis Want

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have moved from the Yemen border to airports, oil sites and major cities, and this guide explains why, who is behind them and what could happen next.

Many claims in a conflict come from one side. We attribute them throughout, and we flag what has not been independently verified. For the most recent daily developments, read our UAE residents update for October 25.

Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia at a Glance

• On Sunday, Houthi forces launched widespread attacks across southern Saudi Arabia, prompting security alerts in several cities
• The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted at least 10 ballistic missiles, AFP reported
• Riyadh airport was preparing to resume limited operations after a two-week closure, and the Houthis warned it remains a military target
• An earlier attack this month killed 13 people and wounded more than 300
• The Houthis say they are retaliating for Saudi military operations, while analysts see a strategy to raise the cost of Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war
• Iranian support is real but the extent of Iranian control is contested

The Latest Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia: What Happened on Sunday

The question became more urgent on Sunday, when Houthi forces launched widespread attacks across southern Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted at least 10 ballistic missiles, according to AFP.

• Residents reported powerful explosions in Khamis Mushait
• Warnings were issued in Abha, Taif, Namas and Jazan
• Saudi air defences also intercepted a cruise missile targeting Khamis Mushait
• In Riyadh, three explosions were heard early on Sunday as the capital's international airport prepared to resume limited operations after a two-week closure

The Houthis warned that King Khalid International Airport remained a military target, despite plans to reopen it. On Saturday, they claimed attacks against airports and energy infrastructure, including facilities around Yanbu and Rabigh and the East-West Pipeline. Saudi authorities reported missile interceptions, but the full extent of damage from the claimed attacks remains unverified. The coalition has also released CCTV footage that it says shows a Houthi attack on Abha International Airport on October 7.

Who Are the Houthis? A Short Background to the Yemen War

To understand Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, it helps to start with the group's history. The Houthis emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s. They seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and developed their own political and military ambitions. Their objectives include consolidating territorial control, weakening Yemen's internationally recognised government and securing political recognition.

A fragile truce established in 2022 had largely halted major cross-border attacks. That arrangement began unravelling amid disputes over Yemen's airports, ports and political future. In September, the Houthis expanded their control along Yemen's Red Sea coast, capturing strategic positions near Bab Al Mandab, and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces then launched a counteroffensive.

Timeline of Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Yemen War

• 1990s: the Houthi movement emerges in northern Yemen
• 2014: the Houthis seize Sanaa
• 2022: a fragile truce largely halts major cross-border attacks
• September 2026: the Houthis expand control along the Red Sea coast near Bab Al Mandab, and Saudi-backed forces launch a counteroffensive
• October 7: the coalition says the Houthis attacked Abha International Airport
• October 10: a deadly strike hits Riyadh's international airport
• Late October: attacks intensify across southern Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh airport prepares to resume limited operations

Eight Questions About Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

The Gulf News explainer is organised around a set of key questions. Here they are in order.

1. Why Are Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Escalating Now?

The immediate trigger is renewed fighting inside Yemen, but the Houthis also see an opportunity to strengthen their negotiating position as Saudi Arabia faces growing regional security pressures. The Houthis describe their attacks as retaliation for Saudi military operations and restrictions on areas under their control.

Analysts, however, see a broader strategy: raising the economic and political cost of Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war.

2. What Do the Houthis Ultimately Want?

• Political control in Yemen: preserve their hold over Sanaa and northern Yemen while gaining a decisive role in the country's future government
• An end to restrictions: secure the reopening of airports and ports under their control and reduce outside military pressure
• Concessions from Saudi Arabia: push Riyadh towards an agreement that recognises Houthi influence and limits support for their Yemeni opponents
• Control over strategic routes: use their position near Bab Al Mandab to strengthen their military and negotiating leverage
• Greater regional influence: show they can challenge Saudi Arabia, the United States and other regional powers
• Continued Iranian support: maintain a strategic relationship that provides military advantages while pursuing their own objectives in Yemen

3. Are the Houthis Acting for Iran or Pursuing Their Own Agenda?

Both factors matter, although the extent of Iranian control remains contested. Iranian support has included weapons technology, military expertise and other assistance, which helped the Houthis develop long-range missile and drone capabilities.

Reuters reported this month that the attacks were partly intended to pressure Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman into securing concessions in Yemen and persuading Washington to ease economic pressure on Iran. But the Houthis are not simply an Iranian creation, and even a US-Iran agreement would not necessarily end the Saudi-Houthi confrontation, including Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Analysts caution against assuming that Tehran directly controls every Houthi military decision.

4. Why Target Airports and Oil Installations in Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia?

The Houthis are seeking to inflict economic damage and disrupt normal life without matching Saudi Arabia's conventional military strength. Airports, pipelines, refineries and shipping terminals are vital to the Kingdom's economy.

• Attacks can interrupt flights
• They increase security costs
• They can unsettle investors
• They threaten energy exports

Riyadh airport has become a particularly prominent target following the deadly October 10 strike. Even unsuccessful strikes can force costly defensive operations and temporary shutdowns. For the Kingdom's long-term economic plans, see our explainer on Saudi Vision 2030.

5. How Has the US-Iran War Changed the Conflict?

The wider war has increased the strategic importance of Houthi missile and drone capabilities. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted, Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on western oil infrastructure and Red Sea export routes. That makes facilities near Yanbu and shipping through Bab Al Mandab particularly important.

By threatening these routes, the Houthis can complicate efforts to maintain Gulf energy exports and potentially strengthen Iran's bargaining position against Washington. Regional sources cited by Reuters suggest the campaign also seeks to exploit Saudi economic vulnerabilities. Our report on US embassy staff leaving Saudi Arabia shows how Washington has responded.

6. Why Is Bab Al Mandab So Important to Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia?

Bab Al Mandab connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms a vital part of the shipping route between Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal. It is also crucial for Saudi oil exports from western terminals.

According to AFP, the Houthis seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast in a lightning offensive last month, which significantly raised concerns about maritime security around this chokepoint. Saudi-backed forces then launched operations to recover territory. If both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandab face serious disruption, Gulf exporters could find their alternative shipping routes constrained at once. That could drive up tanker insurance premiums, freight costs and global energy prices. Background on world oil chokepoints is available from the US Energy Information Administration.

7. Can Saudi Arabia Stop the Missile and Drone Attacks?

Saudi Arabia operates sophisticated air defence systems and has intercepted numerous Houthi missiles and drones. Recent interceptions around Riyadh, Taif, Yanbu and Khamis Mushait show what Saudi air defences can do. But no defence network can guarantee complete protection.

• The Kingdom must defend vast distances and many potential targets, including airports, cities, oil installations and industrial facilities
• Low-flying drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles present different detection and interception challenges
• Even successful interceptions can create risks from falling debris and disrupt civilian operations

The challenge is maintaining economic activity and public safety during repeated attacks.

8. What Could End Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia?

A lasting settlement would require progress on Yemen's political future, territorial control and security arrangements.

• The Houthis want greater recognition, fewer restrictions on ports and airports and an end to military operations against areas they control
• Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognised government seek security guarantees and a settlement that prevents renewed cross-border attacks
• The US-Iran confrontation makes negotiations more complicated

Three Possible Paths for Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

These come from the explainer's assessment, not from our own forecast.

• A negotiated settlement: possible only with progress on Yemen's political future, territory and security
• Continued escalation: could trigger stronger Saudi retaliation, particularly if another major attack causes mass casualties or seriously damages energy infrastructure
• A wider shipping campaign: could draw additional countries into the fighting

For the Houthis, military pressure is a means of gaining political leverage. The question is whether that strategy secures concessions or pushes the region towards a much wider conflict.

What Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Mean for UAE Residents and Travellers

The effects reach well beyond Saudi Arabia's borders. As reported in our earlier coverage, several UAE airlines have adjusted or suspended Saudi services, and the UAE has condemned the attacks. If you plan to travel, read our UAE residents update, and check the latest notices from your airline and from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

What Is Confirmed and What Is Not in the Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

• Reported by AFP or the coalition: at least 10 ballistic missiles intercepted, a cruise missile intercepted over Khamis Mushait, and CCTV footage of an Abha airport attack on October 7
• Reported by residents: explosions in Khamis Mushait and three explosions in Riyadh
• Claimed by the Houthis: attacks on airports and energy infrastructure around Yanbu, Rabigh and the East-West Pipeline, with the full damage unverified
• Contested: the extent of Iranian control over Houthi decisions

Saudi announcements are published by the Saudi Press Agency.

Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia FAQs

Why are Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia increasing?

Renewed fighting inside Yemen is the immediate trigger, and analysts say the Houthis aim to raise the cost of Riyadh's involvement and strengthen their negotiating position.

What do the Houthis want?

Political control in Yemen, the reopening of ports and airports, concessions from Saudi Arabia, influence over strategic routes and greater regional influence.

Is Iran behind Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia?

Iran provides support, but the extent of its control is contested, and the Houthis have their own agenda.

Would a US-Iran deal stop Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia?

Not necessarily. The explainer says even a US-Iran agreement would not automatically end the Saudi-Houthi confrontation.

Why is Bab Al Mandab important?

It links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, carries shipping between Europe and Asia and is crucial for Saudi oil exports from western terminals.

Conclusion: Where Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Could Lead

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia combine a local war over Yemen's future with a regional struggle over energy routes and Iranian influence. Saudi air defences are intercepting many missiles, but the strain on airports, oil installations and civilians continues. A lasting end depends on a political settlement that neither side has yet reached. We will keep updating this guide as events develop.