Houthi Attacks on Saudi Airports Hit Third Day, Oil at $105

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Iran-backed Houthis struck Saudi airports for a third straight day, killing three people and wounding 36, as Brent crude topped $104 a barrel and the group warned of a long war.

Lead

The Houthis attacked civilian airports across southern and central Saudi Arabia on Thursday, October 8, 2026, the third consecutive day of strikes on the kingdom. The group said it fired cruise and ballistic missiles at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, at Najran airport near the Yemeni border, and at the Royal Saudi Air Force's King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. Leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech that the movement has the capability and resolve to withstand a lengthy conflict and would continue attacking Saudi targets. The escalation pushed crude prices higher and widened a regional confrontation that already includes attacks on tankers around the Strait of Hormuz.

What Happened at Riyadh's King Khalid Airport?

Missile and drone strikes damaged King Khalid International Airport on Thursday, killing one person and wounding eight, according to casualty counts that followed the attacks. Images verified by news organizations showed smoke over Terminal 4 and what appeared to be a damaged Saudi aircraft. Several explosions were heard in the capital.

The Riyadh strikes followed attacks earlier in the week on Abha International Airport, which was hit twice, and on King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran airport. Across the campaign, three people have died: a Sudanese national at Riyadh and two women, one Moroccan and one Algerian, at Abha. A total of 36 people have been wounded, 28 of them at Abha.

Flight disruption was significant. Tracking data showed 58 departures delayed and 11 flights cancelled at Riyadh, putting its disruption index at 4.2 out of 5. Saudi authorities did not confirm Thursday's strike or announce official suspensions. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned airlines "for the last time" to stop flying in Saudi airspace, which he described as a theater of Houthi military operations.

How Did Oil Markets React?

Crude oil rose sharply, with Brent futures gaining more than 4% to above $104 a barrel and touching $105.46 at the session high. West Texas Intermediate rose 3.6% to about $91.49. Prices had earlier jumped more than 5% on concern that the United States could strike Iran again before next month's midterm elections. They eased from the highs after President Donald Trump said Washington would not attack Iran before the vote.

The Houthi strikes add to a supply-risk premium already built into the market. Nine tankers have been attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, threatening the recent recovery in crude flows through the waterway. A vessel was also struck by multiple projectiles 51 nautical miles off Qatar's north coast. Iran and Oman agreed on coordinates for designated transit corridors through Hormuz, although passage remains conditional on wider diplomatic arrangements. Traders watching the crude oil price now weigh two channels: Gulf export routes by sea and the physical security of Saudi aviation and military infrastructure.

What Is the Saudi Response?

The Saudi-led coalition said the attacks "will not go unpunished" and reported destroying 82 Houthi military targets across the Yemeni provinces of Saada, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf and Marib. Those included 11 mountain-based ballistic-missile storage facilities in Saada, along with command centers, communications systems and weapons depots.

The strikes mark a break from the restraint that had largely defined Saudi-Houthi relations since a de facto truce took hold in 2022. The Saudi military is also facing sustained pressure on its southern border, where Najran, Abha and Jazan sit within range of Houthi launch sites in northern Yemen.

Geopolitical Dimension

The fighting is tied to both Yemen's internal war and the wider confrontation involving Iran. The latest escalation followed a major offensive by Yemeni government forces to recapture territory around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from the Houthis. More than 200,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since June.

Bab el-Mandeb is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, and it is among the world's most important energy and container chokepoints. Fighting near it, combined with disruption at Hormuz, places two of the main arteries for Gulf oil exports under simultaneous threat. Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports and its East-West pipeline, which offer an alternative to Hormuz, sit within range of Houthi weapons, which limits the kingdom's ability to reroute exports if the Gulf route is closed.

The attacks also carry economic consequences for the kingdom's diversification plans. Aviation, tourism and logistics hubs such as Riyadh are central to Saudi Arabia's push to host international events and attract foreign investment. Repeated strikes on airports raise insurance costs, complicate airline scheduling and test confidence in that strategy.

What Comes Next for Oil and the Conflict?

Oil prices are likely to stay tied to headlines on both Hormuz and the Saudi-Houthi front over the next three to twelve months. A sustained campaign against Saudi airports and air bases would keep the risk premium elevated, while any attack on Saudi energy infrastructure would likely force a step change in prices. Brent has held around or above $100 a barrel through much of the recent standoff.

Diplomatic channels are limited. Houthi rhetoric points to a prolonged campaign, and the coalition has signaled continued air strikes in Yemen. Airlines face the immediate decision of whether to keep flying into Saudi airspace after the Houthi warning, a choice that would deepen the commercial impact beyond the kingdom.

Outlook

The Houthi campaign against Saudi airports has now run three days, with three deaths, 36 injuries and disrupted flights at Riyadh. Brent near $104 reflects a market pricing in simultaneous risks at Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and Saudi territory. With the Houthi leader describing a long conflict and the coalition promising retaliation, the near-term path points to further escalation rather than de-escalation.