Houthis warn against using Saudi airports after missile attack killed 12 and injured hundreds – as Wes Streeting condemns ‘dangerous escalation’
The Houthis launched their deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia, hitting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and killing 12 people whilst injuring 309 more. The Iran-backed rebels warned against using Saudi airports, claiming they are potential targets, whilst the Saudi-led coalition accused them of committing a "full-fledged war crime". The attack marks an escalation in an unprecedented wave of strikes that began after a ceasefire between the Houthis and Yemen's Riyadh-backed government collapsed in July.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the strike as "contemptible" and called for an end to the conflict, whilst the EU also labelled it a "dangerous escalation" pushing the region into a "spiral of violence". The attack killed at least four Saudi citizens, including a captain with the national airline, plus citizens from Bangladesh, the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The airport, which saw damage to a Saudia Airlines plane, suspended operations following the strike with authorities warning that closure could extend beyond the initially announced timeframe.
- Deadliest Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia kills 12, injures 309.
- Iran-backed rebels warn airports are targets as ceasefire collapses.
- Defence Secretary condemns 'contemptible' escalation as airport suspends operations.
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The Houthis are an Iran-backed rebel group fighting Yemen's government in a civil conflict that has lasted since 2015. Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition supporting Yemen's government, making it a frequent target for Houthi attacks.
The Houthis have launched various strikes against Saudi Arabia over the years, targeting airports, oil facilities and shipping routes. Since a ceasefire between the rebels and Saudi-backed government collapsed in July 2026, such attacks have accelerated and intensified significantly.
The attacks raise international concerns about civilian safety and regional stability. Foreign powers, including Britain, have expressed alarm about the escalating violence and the potential for wider conflict across the Middle East.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The Houthis frame their actions as resistance to Saudi-led military intervention that they argue has caused massive civilian harm in Yemen. Using asymmetric warfare tactics, they target infrastructure supporting what they view as unlawful military occupation, including airports that facilitate military logistics and operations. From this perspective, such strikes represent proportionate responses to sustained foreign aggression aimed at compelling withdrawal and deterring continued intervention.
The case against
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on civilian infrastructure and the deliberate killing of civilians, and this principle admits no exception for political grievance or historical context. A commercial airport serves primarily civilian purposes; the attack killed workers, travellers, and innocents from multiple nations, demonstrating its indiscriminate character as a war crime. Regardless of actions by either party, the international community must oppose such attacks on legal and moral grounds, as cycles of escalation ultimately devastate ordinary civilians most severely.