Nexus Europa
Live
Europe PulseEconomy & EnergyEastern FrontierDefence & IndustryPowerRussian InfluenceSocietyBalkansFuture EuropeOther
OtherAI-generated

Saudi airports hit by fresh strikes as Houthis warn travellers

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Oct 22, 2026, 03:00 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-10-22-0300
Saudi airports hit by fresh strikes as Houthis warn travellers
Photo: The Guardian

Flight operations in Saudi Arabia remain disrupted after repeated projectile and drone attacks targeted airports in Riyadh and Dammam.

Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was hit by a second consecutive projectile strike, causing a terminal fire and keeping flight operations halted. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree warned airlines and passengers that Saudi airspace is a "theatre of operations," explicitly excepting only Mecca and Medina.

Casualty figures remain disputed. Local officials reported up to 13 fatalities and more than 300 injuries, while Saudi aviation authorities cited lower numbers. Separately, an attack on Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia reportedly left one person dead and eight injured, with the Saudi-backed coalition stating it intercepted four Houthi drones in the region.

US President Donald Trump called the strikes "not acceptable." In response, the Saudi-led coalition launched retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi military positions across Yemen.

Sources: BBC News, France24, STV News, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

How outlets assessed this

  • Oct 19, 2026, 04:30 PM UTC
    • STV News Alarmed Emphasized local official reports of high casualties and severe structural damage at the airport terminal.
    • Cyprus Mail Cautious Relied on official Saudi aviation casualty counts and emphasized coalition strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Sources

Earlier coverage

Share