Houthis threaten 'swift, painful' response if US assists Saudi strikes in Yemen

The Iran-supported Houthi group issued a stern warning on Monday, vowing to unleash a "swift and painful" response on the US and its regional interests should Washington join Saudi Arabia's military campaign in Yemen. Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti made the threat known to AFP. Bukhaiti emphasized that any decision to retaliate would be immediate and severe, targeting the US and all its interests in the region.

His warning followed remarks from US President Donald Trump, who was contemplating American involvement after the recent deadly assault on Saudi infrastructure. The attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, which resulted in 13 deaths and numerous injuries, was described by Trump as "not acceptable" and prompted the White House to consider joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis, despite initially turning down Riyadh's requests for military aid.

Bukhaiti cautioned, "All employees and workers at Saudi oil facilities and airports to stay away from these sites, as they have become legitimate targets." He added that the Houthi campaign aimed to demonstrate to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that he can no longer wage aggression against Yemen from a safe distance. The Saudi civil aviation authority also extended the closure of Riyadh's international airport until Saturday and suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport to complete safety procedures.

On Monday, the Houthis claimed to have struck the airport with a ballistic missile, a day after Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted and destroyed a missile launched by the group towards Riyadh. Houthis also announced a drone attack on an airbase in Khamis Mushait in the kingdom's southwest, though Saudi confirmation remained pending.

Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport remained shut until October 17 due to the attacks, raising concerns about civil aviation becoming a target in armed conflicts. Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP, highlighted the unprecedented level of sustained intense attack on civil aviation, urging a careful reassessment of the current risk picture.

Flightradar24 data showed planes rerouting around Riyadh on Monday, though flights continued to land at Jeddah, Saudi's primary hub, with a 46.4% cancellation rate across all Saudi airports.