'Airport for airport, blockade for blockade, escalation for escalation,' group vows
![Flames and smoke rise from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday (local time). Three people were killed in the attack, including one pilot from a Saudi civilian airline. [AP]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/12/rcv.YNA.20261011.PAP20261011225801009_P1.jpg)
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who carried out a deadly strike on the international airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, warned airlines and travelers to avoid Saudi airspace and airports, threatening further attacks.
Yahya Sari, a military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels, issued a statement Sunday (local time) warning "all airlines, their staff, employees and travelers using Saudi airports and airspace" to stay away, according to Saba News Agency, which the group operates.
Sari said all Saudi airports — except those serving the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina — "could become potential targets and operational zones for our forces," signaling the possibility of additional strikes.
He said the group's campaign was grounded in a strict principle of reciprocity.
"We will establish a policy of airport for airport, blockade for blockade, and escalation for escalation until our objectives are achieved," he said.
Sari added that "everyone must take our warnings seriously," and said Saudi Arabia's government bore full responsibility for any failures in its air defenses, including the inability to intercept incoming strikes.
The Houthis have been targeting Saudi facilities in a sustained campaign since announcing plans on Oct. 5 to strike Saudi airports and oil installations.
The attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday killed 12 people and wounded more than 300.
A projectile also struck near an airport in Dammam, a major city in eastern Saudi Arabia.
The strikes prompted airlines from Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar to cancel flights bound for Saudi Arabia.
mokiya@heraldcorp.com
