Saudi Airports Hit as Middle East Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia reported attacks on two of its airports on Monday, October 5, 2026, as fighting with Yemen’s Houthi rebels intensified. The airports in Najran and Jizan were damaged, and three people were lightly injured. The Houthis claimed responsibility, stating they fired missiles and drones at the facilities. They also targeted a third airport, Abha International Airport, on Tuesday, though the Associated Press could not confirm the strike.
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has persisted nearly three years after the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, spreading across the Middle East. Saudi-led forces are conducting a military campaign to reclaim Houthi-controlled territory near the Red Sea to secure oil exports.
In other developments, a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an “unknown projectile” on Monday, though no casualties or environmental impact were reported. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City killed two people, which Israel’s military claimed targeted militants. Since a ceasefire took effect nearly a year ago, over 1,460 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a potential Hamas attack ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, though he did not provide evidence. Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian photojournalist during the olive harvest season, injuring him and others. Additionally, Israeli authorities demolished a five-story building in east Jerusalem, part of ongoing demolitions in predominantly Palestinian neighborhoods.