Houthis launch deadly attack on Aden's Maashiq Palace; oil tanker hit in Hormuz

Houthi forces have launched a series of deadly attacks in the first half of October 2026, primarily targeting airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, as well as the presidential palace in Aden, Yemen. A significant incident on October 10 saw a Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, resulting in 13 fatalities and over 300 injuries. Across various Saudi airports, including Abha and Nadran International Airports, Houthi attacks between October 1 and October 11 led to a total of 17 deaths and 333 injuries from 20 separate assaults on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport alone. Furthermore, a missile and drone strike on the Al-Maashiq presidential palace complex in Aden on October 15 killed five people and wounded 16. Houthi forces also claimed responsibility for targeting an Aramco administrative building in Dhahran, which caused a limited fire but no reported injuries.

In response, the Saudi-led coalition has actively intercepted and destroyed numerous Houthi ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones across Saudi Arabia, including over Riyadh and the eastern and southern provinces. These interceptions sometimes caused debris to fall in residential areas, injuring civilians. The coalition has also conducted retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in Yemen, targeting oil sites and military capabilities in cities like Sanaa, Dhamar, and Saada.

These escalating attacks underscore a period of heightened tensions in the Gulf region. The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the "escalatory" Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and threats to commercial shipping, raising concerns about regional security and international energy markets. The United States is reportedly considering joining the Saudi-led efforts against the Houthis amidst this intensification of conflict.