Rashad al-Alimi pledges to continue Fajr Yemen operation after Riyadh airport attack

Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi has pledged to continue the ‘Fajr Yemen’ operation alongside Saudi Arabia to restore Yemeni state institutions and eliminate the threat posed by Houthi militias. This commitment follows a deadly missile attack by the group on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10, 2026.

The attack, which targeted a passenger terminal, resulted in the deaths of 12 civilians of various nationalities—including Saudis, Americans, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians, Palestinians, Sudanese, and Bangladeshis—and injured over 300 others. Al-Alimi stated that the security of Saudi Arabia and Yemen are interconnected, asserting that any aggression against the Kingdom is an attack on Yemen’s own security and future.

International leaders have responded to the strike, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemning it as a violation of international law. U.S. President Donald Trump described the attack as ‘unacceptable’ and indicated he would consider U.S. involvement in strikes against the Houthis. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the death of an American citizen in the incident.