Houthis hit Riyadh airport for a second day running, and Saudi aviation officials say Dammam airport was also targeted. Britain warns against all but essential travel
A second attack hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, a day after a strike that Saudi authorities said killed 12 people and wounded more than 300. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said an unidentified projectile hit Terminal 4 and started a fire and that a missile was intercepted nearby. FinancialJuice, quoting Saudi civil aviation, said one person died and 11 were wounded, a figure from a single outlet. The Houthis claimed responsibility, warned travellers against Saudi airports and said they also hit Dammam airport and Aramco facilities, which Riyadh has not confirmed; Saudi civil aviation said Dammam airport was targeted. The coalition vowed to retaliate. The UK embassy advised against all but essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and Saudi airports other than Medina.
Hitting the capital's main airport twice in two days shows the Houthis can reach the heart of Saudi Arabia, and it raises the risk of a wider war that could draw in the United States. Shipping is also exposed: a tanker near Sohar in Oman was reported attacked.
If you are planning to travel to or through Saudi Arabia, check airline notices and Foreign Office advice before you leave. Higher oil prices feed through to petrol, flights and energy bills over time, though a single day's move does not set them.
Saudi Arabia and its allies say the attacks are war crimes against civilians and justify a firm military response.
Others warn that a bigger response could escalate the conflict, widen it to shipping lanes and draw in the US and Iran.
Two things matter next: whether the coalition's promised response comes, and whether airlines keep flying to Riyadh. Treat the Houthi claims on Dammam and Aramco as unproven until Saudi officials or satellite imagery confirm them. For readers in Britain, the immediate effect is advice on travel and a nervous oil price, not a change in the cost of living.
DailyDrop U.K. edition No. 8 · Morning · MON., OCT. 12, 2026