Houthi Rebels: "Painful Retaliation if U.S. Intervenes"... Saudi Airport Attacked Again

Houthis warn of airstrikes on U.S. facilities if Washington intervenes
King Khalid International Airport to remain closed through October 17

Reuters-Yonhap News

Yemen's Houthi rebels warned on October 12 (local time) that they could launch airstrikes against all U.S. facilities in the Middle East if the United States intervenes militarily. The warning appears to be a preemptive one, as the possibility of U.S. military intervention has been raised following a Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia that killed one American.

Muhammad al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, said in an interview with AFP that day, "If the United States joins attacks on Yemen, we will not hesitate to respond," warning that "swift and painful retaliation will follow, targeting the United States and all U.S. facilities and interests in the region." He went on to threaten Saudi Arabia again, saying, "Saudi oil facilities and airports are now legitimate targets for us," and that "all employees and workers at those facilities must evacuate immediately."

On October 10, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, was hit by a Houthi airstrike, leaving 13 people dead and around 300 injured. The possibility of U.S. military intervention was raised after reports that one of those killed was an American. After news of the American's death, U.S. President Donald Trump also said at a White House press conference, "We may join Saudi Arabia in its attacks on the Houthis," adding, "We'll review it quickly."

Meanwhile, the Houthi rebels continued their airstrikes on Saudi Arabia for a third consecutive day. According to local outlet Arab News, Turki al-Maliki, a spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defense, said that day on X (formerly Twitter), "We successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh by the terrorist Houthi group." Saudi authorities had also sent early warning messages to Riyadh residents before the Houthi attack.

King Khalid International Airport is expected to remain closed through October 17 due to the impact of the Houthis' repeated airstrikes. The World Petroleum Congress (WPC), which Saudi Arabia had organized by inviting representatives of energy companies from around the world, has been severely disrupted. The conference was originally scheduled to take place in April 2026, but was postponed due to the war with Iran; Saudi Arabia has now gone ahead with hosting it. 

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.