Day 228 | Houthis claim missile strike on Riyadh airport, drone attack on Khamis Mushait airbase

Houthi-affiliated media outlets reported that artillery shelling targeted areas in the Shada border district of Saada Province in northern Yemen.

• Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declined an 'Israeli' bid -mediated by the US- to join military operations against Houthis.
• Saudi leadership rejected 'Israeli' assistance over concerns that public military cooperation would trigger strong internal backlash.
• The refusal halts 'Israeli' efforts to leverage joint regional defense into progress toward a formal normalization agreement.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has turned down an 'Israeli' effort to participate in the military campaign against Houthis, according to a Monday report by Haaretz.

The report revealed that 'Israel' sought Riyadh's approval for joint military cooperation through United States mediation, aiming to join operations against Houthi forces following heightened regional security threats.

A diplomatic source cited by Haaretz reported that the Saudi Crown Prince was not interested in receiving 'Israeli' military support, fearing that formal security cooperation with 'Israel' could trigger a strong negative backlash among the Saudi public.

Normalization hopes 

According to a second source familiar with the matter, 'Israel' had hoped that military collaboration with Saudi Arabia would help solidify bilateral security ties and potentially pave the way toward a future normalization agreement between the two countries.

Saudi authorities did not issue an immediate comment regarding the report.

Saudi Arabia currently maintains no official diplomatic relations with 'Israel', consistently reaffirming that any future normalization remains contingent on resolving the Palestinian issue and establishing an independent Palestinian state.

The reported proposal comes against the backdrop of escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, including repeated strikes on international airports and key facilities that have caused casualties and disrupted civilian aviation.

• Two commercial vessels were struck by drone strikes off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast near the Romanian maritime border
• All 15 crew members aboard the Chelsea 3 were rescued, with five sustaining minor injuries

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated Tuesday that the military alliance is prepared to adjust its defensive posture along its eastern flank after two ships were struck off at the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.

Writing online following his call with Bulgarian officials, Rutte stated: "NATO will continue to work closely with our allies in the Black Sea. We have already strengthened our posture along the eastern flank and will continue to monitor the security environment, adjusting our deterrence and defence posture as needed."

I spoke with Bulgarian PM @RumenRadevPM about the latest attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. NATO will continue to work closely with our Allies in the Black Sea. We have already strengthened our posture along the eastern flank and will continue to monitor the security environment, adjusting our deterrence and defence posture as needed

— Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO) October 13, 2026

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said earlier Tuesday that drone strikes targeted two commercial vessels in the Black Sea, sinking one and triggering emergency rescue efforts.

All 15 crew members aboard the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, comprising seven Ukrainian and eight Azerbaijani nationals, were evacuated after three aerial drones struck the vessel's deck and hull, leaving five with minor injuries.

Radev noted that one crew member from the sunken ship was rescued, though details regarding the remaining crew remain unconfirmed.

During an emergency meeting of Bulgaria’s Security Council on Tuesday, Radev called the attacks “absolutely unacceptable” and said Bulgaria was seeking NATO and European Union assistance.

Radev said accused Russia for the attacks, stating “logic, as I have already stated, indicates that the result is in favour of the Russian Federation.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed that the group's forces are currently confronting Saudi aerial formations targeting the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

Houthi-affiliated media outlets reported airstrikes targeting the Yemen Petroleum Company in the Al-Sabaha area of Sanaa.

• Aoun strongly condemned the strikes over Riyadh's airport, warning they pose a direct threat to Saudi and regional security and stability
• He affirmed Lebanon's full solidarity, called for respecting Saudi sovereignty, and offered condolences to victims and families

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to assess the situation in Saudi Arabia following recent attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other civil facilities and infrastructure.

In an official statement released by the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun reiterated his strong condemnation of the strikes targeting the Kingdom's civilian infrastructure.

"President Aoun reaffirmed the solidarity of Lebanon -its leadership and people- with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its leadership, and its people," the Presidency stated, noting that Aoun characterized the attacks as "a threat to the security and stability of the Kingdom, as well as the security and stability of the entire region."

Call to respect sovereignty

During the call, Aoun emphasized to Bin Salman the critical necessity of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia, stressing that civilian and vital facilities must not be targeted.

The Lebanese President extended his deep condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the recent attacks and expressed his heartfelt wishes for a swift and complete recovery for those injured.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree called on Saudi citizens, residents to immediately evacuate and stay away from potential military targets, warning that the group will strike Aramco headquarters in Dammam, King Khalid Airport, and the Riyadh refinery if Saudi Arabia carries out threatened attacks.

The military spokesperson for Yemen's Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) issued an urgent warning instructing all employees and civilians near Saudi Aramco installations to clear the area immediately.

The announcement, broadcast by Houthi-affiliated media, comes amid escalating cross-border aerial attacks and heightened military tensions in the region.

The Joint Forces Command of the coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government issued an immediate evacuation order for civilians near the Yemen Petroleum Company's Al-Sabaha Central Station in Sana'a.

Publishing an annotated map highlighting the designated target zone, coalition officials stated the advisory was released to protect civilian lives prior to an upcoming military action against the site.

The military spokesperson for Yemen's Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) warned on Tuesday that any military strikes conducted against the capital, Sanaa, will be met with severe retaliation targeting Riyadh. The threat comes in direct response to the Saudi-led coalition's announcement that it will issue an evacuation warning for civilians in Sana'a ahead of an impending targeted operation, signaling a sharp escalation in cross-border hostilities between the warring parties.

The spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition said Tuesday that they will shortly issue an evacuation warning for civilians to clear a location in Sanaa ahead of a targeted military operation.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed three drones north of the capital, Riyadh, according to an announcement by the Saudi authorities.

US President Donald Trump said Washington may have gone too far in targeting Iranian leaders, suggesting it should have stopped at the first or second level of escalation.

“We may have gone too far in targeting Iranian leaders, and we should have stopped at the first or second level of escalation,” Trump said, according to reports published Tuesday.

Trump also said the war with Iran would end soon and claimed Tehran wanted to reach an agreement but did not know how to do so. He further said he did not believe China or Russia were providing assistance to Iran.

Houthi-affiliated media reported an air strike in the Ghamr district of Yemen’s Saada province.

No further details about the target, casualties or damage were immediately available.

Iranian security forces raided a site linked to an alleged militant cell in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, Iranian state television reported.

Yemen’s government forces said warplanes carried out nine airstrikes targeting Houthi fighters and equipment in Taiz province.

According to a statement by the forces, five strikes hit the Al-Dhabab area, while four targeted the Al-Misrakh area.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani condemned attacks on Qatari territory attributed to Iran, describing them as a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty.

The remarks underscore Qatar’s concerns over the impact of regional tensions on its security and stability.

Qatar has previously reported Iranian missile and drone attacks, including strikes that its authorities said affected areas near Hamad International Airport and facilities linked to liquefied natural gas production. Doha has described the attacks as violations of international law and called for them to stop.

Qatar has also maintained that it favors diplomatic solutions to regional disputes while reserving its right to defend its sovereignty and security under international law.

‘Israeli’ forces have killed five Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the past 48 hours, claiming they belonged to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

In a statement on Telegram, the military said three Islamic Jihad members were killed on Sunday, followed by two members of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade on Monday.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, ‘Israeli’ attacks have killed 1,493 Palestinians and wounded 5,299 since the so-called ceasefire came into effect in October 2025.

• He attributed the claims to “Radical Left Morons and Lunatics.” 
• US officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and several news organizations have reported Russian and Chinese help to Iran during the war. Moscow and Beijing have denied or played down parts of it.

US President Donald Trump said late Monday that he does not believe China and  Russia are helping Iran in its war with the United States and ‘Israel’, dismissing such claims as the work of political opponents.

“I see so many comments from the Radical Left Morons and Lunatics that China and Russia are helping the ‘wonderful’ Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If they are, it’s at a very low level, but I don’t believe they are at all. They have too much to lose, and we would know about it, and know about it very fast!”, Trump wrote in a post that follows a Trump rally in Ohio where he commented on Russia-Ukraine relations and criticized the left. 

Trump’s view differs from several accounts that have come from his own administration and from American intelligence assessments.

Hegseth told Congress in July that both Russia and China were helping Iran “to some extent.” That contrasts with his comment in March that the two countries were “not really a factor” in the war. Trump himself said in March that Russian President Vladimir Putin “might be helping them a bit.” 

The war between the US and Iran began on Feb. 28 with US and ‘Israeli’ strikes on Iran. Iran has called the latest US response “insufficient” amid stalled talks to end it. The conflict has spread to Yemen and Saudi Arabia, where the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, are fighting a Saudi-backed campaign.