On October 11, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria told airlines, staff, and travelers that using Saudi airports and airspace is unacceptable, as they are targets for strikes and a theater of military operations for Houthi units, with the exception of the airports in Mecca and Medina.
On October 8, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was hit for the first time since regional tensions escalated. According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, the attack caused at least 12 deaths and 309 injuries, inflicted significant damage to Terminals 3 and 4, and led to the suspension of airport operations. The Wall Street Journal noted that this was the first attack on the airport since tensions rose.
Three days later, on October 11, Saria reiterated the warning, urging everyone to "take the warnings seriously" and stating that Riyadh would be held responsible for the consequences of any failed attempts to intercept missiles and drones aimed at its facilities. He also invoked the Houthi principle of "airport for airport, blockade for blockade, and escalation for escalation."
He also invoked the Houthi principle of "airport for airport, blockade for blockade, and escalation for escalation.
The Saudi-led coalition condemned the October 8 strike as a "fully-fledged war crime" and vowed a tough response, though specific measures were not disclosed.
The chronology shows an earlier escalation: on May 12, 2024, the Houthis launched a missile attack on Riyadh’s airport, setting a precedent for targeting Saudi aviation infrastructure.
Saria explicitly exempted the airports serving Mecca and Medina from the warning, preserving access to those gateways.