Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport: Yemen War, Latest and India’s Stake | CLAT Explainer

VIDEO EXPLAINER | UPDATED 14 OCTOBER 2026

On Saturday, 10 October 2026, a blast hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. According to Saudi authorities (the General Authority of Civil Aviation, GACA), 12 people were killed and more than 300 were injured. The Embassy of India, Riyadh said 11 Indians were among the injured, and that one of them died later. Saudi Arabia blamed Yemen’s Houthis for the attack. Why did this happen, and what is India’s connection? This explainer covers the background of the Yemen war, the latest developments up to 13 October, and the points to remember for the exam.

1. The attack

GACA said the dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt; operations at the airport were suspended. The Indian national who was injured on 10 October died on 11 October, which took the toll from that attack to 13. It was the third attack on the airport that week: two days earlier, on 8 October, an attack had killed at least three Saudi citizens. On 11 October, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly condemned the repeated attacks on the airport, said attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure were unacceptable, and expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

2. Who are the Houthis?

The Houthis are also known as Ansar Allah. In 2014 they took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and the country slid into civil war. On one side is Yemen’s internationally recognised government; on the other are the Houthis, described in reports as Iran-backed, who still hold Sanaa.

3. The Saudi-led coalition and the 2022 ceasefire

Since March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition of Gulf states has fought the Houthis on the side of Yemen’s recognised government, including through an air campaign. The conflict quietened under a UN-mediated ceasefire in 2022. Fighting has now intensified again, and the attacks on Saudi airports are the Houthis striking across the border.

4. The latest: 11 to 13 October 2026

On 11 October, Iran said in a phone call with Saudi Arabia that it was ready to help facilitate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Saudi Arabia confirmed the call but gave no public response to the offer. On 13 October, Saudi Arabia struck a fuel depot near Sanaa. The same day, according to reports, a fire broke out at a Saudi Aramco office building in Dhahran after a missile was intercepted. Whether Iran’s offer can bring the two sides to talks is the open question.

5. India’s stake: people and oil

According to the Embassy of India, Riyadh, about 2.74 million Indians (about 27 lakh) live in Saudi Arabia. After the attacks, the Embassy issued an advisory asking Indians to remain alert and follow the instructions of local authorities. Energy is the second link: in FY 2024-25 India imported 33.14 million tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia, 13.58% (about 14%) of its total crude imports. Saudi Arabia is also India’s 5th largest trading partner, and India is Saudi Arabia’s 2nd largest.

6. Geography: Bab-el-Mandeb and the GCC

The Bab-el-Mandeb strait lies between Yemen and Djibouti and connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Ships moving between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal pass through it, which is why instability in Yemen matters for trade, including India’s. Saudi Arabia is also the host of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), formed in 1981, with six members (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) and its headquarters in Riyadh.

Sources

Al Jazeera (10, 11 and 12 October 2026, citing Saudi GACA); AP via OPB (11 October 2026); Outlook India (11 October 2026, Embassy of India, Riyadh); The Hindu (11 October 2026, MEA statement); The New Arab and Bernama/Anadolu, citing IRNA (12 October 2026, Iran’s offer); Al Jazeera and Reuters (13 and 14 October 2026, Sanaa fuel depot strike and Dhahran fire); Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, “War in Yemen” (updated 12 October 2026); Embassy of India, Riyadh, India–Saudi bilateral relations page; Gulf Cooperation Council Charter (1981).