Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles, drones
The U.S. embassy HQ in Riyadh is pictured on March 3, 2026.
AFP via Getty Images
Saudi Arabia intercepted drones and missiles headed for several cities, including the capital Riyadh, fired by Iran-aligned Houthis on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said.
The ongoing fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen-based Houthis, combined with remarks by President Donald Trump last week suggesting that the U.S. and Israel are planning fresh strikes on Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections, drove oil prices to a six-month high Friday.
The official Saudi Press Agency quoted the spokesperson of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Turki Al-Maliki, as saying two drones and a ballistic missile were “intercepted and destroyed” as they headed toward Riyadh.
The agency quoted Al-Maliki as saying that 10 ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward the southern region of Saudi Arabia were also intercepted, as was a cruise missile headed for the city of Khamis Mushait.
The Houthis said in a Telegram post that they “carried out seven qualitative military operations using a number of ballistic missiles and drones.”
The targets included Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and oil giant Saudi Aramco’s facilities in Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s west coast as well as other airports and energy installations around the country, the Houthis said.
Smoke and flames rise from King Khalid Airport, after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked the airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 8, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.
Social Media/via Reuters
King Khalid International Airport said in a notice to travelers that it was resuming operations Sunday, using its Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for overseas routes.
The airport suspended operations on Oct. 10 following a strike that killed at least 13 people and injured around 300 others, making it the deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
Saudi Aramco did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Resumption of Iran attacks ‘fairly soon’?
While the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have been exchanging strikes in recent weeks, concerns have been mounting among investors that the U.S. could soon resume its attacks on Iran.
The U.S. ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia last week amid the Houthi attacks.
Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. was not negotiating with Iran and something would happen “fairly soon.”
The president’s cryptic remarks came as U.S. officials told The New York Times that the U.S. and Israel have plans for fresh strikes on Iran after the midterm elections.
“I think there’s more and more fears of escalation in the Middle East,” Amrita Sen, Founder and Director of Energy Aspects, told CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe on Friday.
“We keep getting asked by clients: ‘Is it going to be before the midterms? Is it after the midterms?’ So it’s not a question of ‘if.’ People are asking if it’s a question of ‘when.’ Our view remains that it’s more likely after the midterms than before.”
Rising tensions, worries about supply disruptions and concerns about possible fresh U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran helped push Brent crude to a six-month high Friday.
Brent futures gained 3.1% to close at $116.72 a barrel, the highest international benchmark settlement since April 29. U.S. West Texas Intermediate added 3.8% to settle at $103.27 a barrel. Brent added 6.2% for the week, the third consecutive week of gains. WTI advanced 2.3% for the week.
Brent crude oil price, U.S. dollars per barrel, year to date
